My best friend/neighbor is moving out of state, going away gift??

[minnie1012]

Hi My best friend and neighbor is moving to Florida (we are in NJ). That has always been their plan since before we met and became friends. All her family is there and when her husband retired (police officer) they had planned to move. Now the time is finally coming and I'm devastated. She is just one of those friends that we really clicked and got along great. Since we live near each other we see each other all the time. Even our husbands are good friends. I'm trying to be happy for them and I know it's where they belong, but it's hard. Anyway, I feel like I should do something for them to recognize the big move. What do you think should I do something? Do we take them to dinner, get them a joint gift, should I get her a gift of some sort, do something else? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi My best friend and neighbor is moving to Florida (we are in NJ). That has always been their plan since before we met and became friends. All her family is there and when her husband retired (police officer) they had planned to move. Now the time is finally coming and I'm devastated. She is just one of those friends that we really clicked and got along great. Since we live near each other we see each other all the time. Even our husbands are good friends. I'm trying to be happy for them and I know it's where they belong, but it's hard. Anyway, I feel like I should do something for them to recognize the big move. What do you think should I do something? Do we take them to dinner, get them a joint gift, should I get her a gift of some sort, do something else? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Well, I'd probably take them out do dinner, as I'm sure they have plenty to pack already. Maybe give them a gift card for something that's local to their new location and a "get acquainted" gift.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Oh, that's tough!!

How about a memory jar of NJ? Something like this:

filled with things related to your town/area/stuff you've done together?

 

[mjkacmom]

http://jerseyporkroll.com/products/taylor-ham-6-lb-pork-roll-2-pack/

 

[ronandannette]

I'd throw a little farewell party if I knew other friends or relatives of theirs to invite. I'd also be sure to offer any necessary help with the packing and whatnot. (Sorry this is happening to you - I can think of several people I would really, really miss. )

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

A nice picnic/beach basket, if they will spend anytime picnicking or at the beach.
Packing party is good.
Stationery (is she a letter writer? lol)

 

[minnie1012]

I'd throw a little farewell party if I knew other friends or relatives of theirs to invite. I'd also be sure to offer any necessary help with the packing and whatnot. (Sorry this is happening to you - I can think of several people I would really, really miss. )

Thank you. Now that their house is sold it's starting to bother me more than I thought it would.

 

[Poohforyou]

I have a friend who moved here and friends from their former town gave them tervis cups from the local teams. She has them displayed in her kitchen and talks fondly of her old friends when asked about them.

 

[Nolcrest]

Yes, offer to take them out to dinner. How about something like a necklace that would signify your friendship (and she wouldn't have to worry about how to pack it).

 

[Meriweather]

I moved away from my best friend....been 6 years now.
I really didn't want anything from her......just to stay in touch. But a dinner would be nice. Just talk for awhile.

Added.....we're still in touch. We get together 3 times a year still. I go to her house, she comes to mine and then we go on a vacation together.
Email almost every day

 

[wishesuponastar]

If you have the extra money I like the idea of a going away party. Or just dinner out with her. Or maybe you can plan to go to visit her at her new home.

My best friend moved 5 hrs away but we talk about every other day. She used to come back here for Thanksgiving weekend and we would meet for coffee or she would come to my house for a little while. She was dependent on her sister to drive her. Thank goodness for the phone calls we have.

 

[Bren's Mom]

A dinner out, or throw a little neighborhood goodbye party.

Frame a pic of all of you, send it to their new home after a few weeks, she might be homesick and getting mail is a good way to cheer.

Or send her a mug like one of these:

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=friends distance mug

 

[minnie1012]

I moved away from my best friend....been 6 years now.
I really didn't want anything from her......just to stay in touch. But a dinner would be nice. Just talk for awhile.

Added.....we're still in touch. We get together 3 times a year still. I go to her house, she comes to mine and then we go on a vacation together.
Email almost every day

That's great, I hope we are able to do that! Luckily Florida is my favorite vacation spot! She just has to share my time with Mickey! lol

 

[Meriweather]

That's great, I hope we are able to do that! Luckily Florida is my favorite vacation spot! She just has to share my time with Mickey! lol

We do go to WDW every 4 years.
She lives in WA and I now live in AZ.
We just did San Francisco for 5 days in Jan.

 

[LovesTimone]

When we moved from Georgia back to Florida, Our good friends gave us a coaster set that had pictures of all the place's we went together, Braves Stadium, Falcon Stadium, The Fox Theater, Stone Mountain. Every time we use them I think of them, I gave them a picture of us all together in Helen GA, during Oktoberfest, it sits on their fireplace mantel, I also gave her my recipe for shrimp dip which was something I always made when we got together, she would laugh when I would offer the recipe when we lived there, then say nope I have you to make it.

They can to see Mickey and the Gang I Sept. and came a few days ahead and stayed with us, and we went out on our boat, and cooked out, went shopping, and I met them a Epcot for the day while they were here. We went to GA to spend New Years with them and she made the shrimp dip. We will be seeing them again in May at Amelia Island, and they might meet us in Vegas in October.

While moving away is hard, being happy for her and supportive will mean a lot to her.