Photos, photos, photos.
To really bring everybody to their knees about how much they're going to miss the person/people leaving, you need photos. The more sentimental, the better.
A framed photo or a photo album you've started to fill in with special photos makes a nice going-away present to the dearly departing.
Make sure people bring their digital cameras to the party, so you can keep the party memories alive. After the party, upload your photos to Evite so you can share them with other guests.
Give your going away party a splashy theme to make it more memorable:
Ask guests to bring send-off gifts that are small and easy to pack. Maps for road trips, playlists for long airplane rides and plenty of books and blank notebooks.
Here's a great way to welcome the person to their new home: Buy funky, funny postcards and ask each guest to write a personal message for the person leaving — along with their contact information. After the party, you address them and mail them. Send a few at random intervals so the person gets mailbox surprises for several days.
Since you'll want to spend most of your time with the people you'll miss, keep food simple. A buffet that nobody has to fuss with keeps the focus on the people and off the food. For especially sad goodbyes, you'll need comfort food, whether that be pizza, mac and cheese or just a whole mess of rich desserts.
Featured Going Away Party Recipes from Epicurious.com
Kamikaze, anyone? Nothing says goodbye and good luck like shots of vodka, right?
For an evening you'll actually remember, you'll probably want to tone down the drinks to beer and wine. Beer, of course, is a drink you can cry into, and red, red wine has been the subject of many a melancholy song.
Kamikaze
• 1 oz. Vodka
• 1 oz. Triple Sec
• 1 oz. Lime Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice cubes, and serve. |  |
| 1. | Forever Young / Chris Isaak |
| 2. | Leaving on a Jet Plane / Peter, Paul & Mary |
| 3. | Say Goodbye / Dave Matthews Band |
| 4. | Thank You / Dido |
| 5. | Changes / Black Sabbath |
| 6. | Going to California / Led Zeppelin |
| 7. | Wild Horses / Rolling Stones
|
| 8. | Take the Money and Run / Steve Miller Band
|
| 9. | Follow Me Up to Carlow / Young Dubliners
|
| 10. | In the Cold Cold Night / White Stripes
|
Send the right message with our free eCards — they're a fast and easy way to say thank you, happy birthday, save the date, congratulations, and more.
Send free eCards
Drink Calculator