mick_newcastle

Dont think we are going to have a leaving party - dont think me and especially the wife could handle it emotionally.
Getting grief off cousins saying that we are being selfish not having a goodbye bash - "It'll be the last time we see you and we want a chance to say goodbye" - im sure we said we were going to Oz and not popping our clogs.
Also have decided to have no one at the airport when we leave - think its for the best.
Gonna have a night out on the town with our friends though - for old times sake.
ANy Ideas Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

moneypenny20

Totally with you on the having noone at the airport - we actually told everyone the wrong day and time because no way did I want to face that but we did have a party. Took over a local pub for the evening and just had a brilliant time. We did have it in July before the end of term incase we sold during the summer holidays and it was sooo cool. Because no one knew exactly when we were going, we all just had the best time and no one got upset because they all though they MAY see us again. It was definitely well worth it especially if you have family you don't see often who live far away.

We put out a message book for everyone to sign - I think we had 10 messages - everyone was enjoying themselves too much.

Please think again on the party but definitely no airport goodbyes!!!!!

JAYMAC

Everybody is different, but we decided to have a leaving party and we had the most fantastic night. My family arranged the party and decorated the rooms on an Australia theme, there were lots kangaroos, flags, dame edna glasses and hats with corks on as well as a lovely cake. I felt that it was a good way to say goodbye to everyone and have all family and friends together instead of having to catch up with everyone individually. We had the party on the Saturday and actually left on Monday morning so we then only had immediate family to wave us off.

I also felt that it was a celebration of the end of the long haul that it seems to take to get the visa and actually make all arrangements.

I do have to admit, the last 30 minutes was VERY emotional and people who you wouldnt think would get upset were sobbing but it was just that last half an hour or so and we did make a hasty retreat.

It is upsetting to say goodbye to people, but we do have good memories and photos of a great night which we will remember for a long time to come.
Julia

Issie

I definatley don't want a leaving party. I want to do individual leaving nights with all the special people in my life.

As for the airport ...another no no, i would be a wreck

For your night depending how many would be going what about hiring a limo to take you somewhere special which means something to you all. a night that you wont forget.....or prehaps a day time one with a limo to the races , always a good day out and a good excuse to get very dressed up too

Welshie

I couldn't handle a leaving party either, mainly cos I wasn't that upset at leaving everyone and couldn't handle everyone blubbing over me!!

I told everyone that we would be in our local on the Friday before we left at 8pm and if anyone wanted to come to say goodbye then so be it.

Needless to say the place was fricking heaving with well wishers, but it was better than an organised party! Low key, noone giving speeches and lying about how great we are and how much they will miss us etc etc....

TeresaG

We will possibly have a party but it will probably be quite low key. Our family and friends are scattered all over the place so I'm not sure how easy it would be for them to come anyway. We may end up having several smaller get togethers with different people.

There is no way that anyone will be coming to the airport. We are only at the TRA stage and have no idea when we will be going but already the inlaws think they will be taking us to the airport.

I think it will be nice to have some kind of do to say goodbye to everyone but we really don't want anyone coming to the airport. I don't think I could handle that at all.

Suni&Jay

We've told people that we're just having a drink at a local bar, got about 70 people who said they would come and join us for a drink
Having Dinner on Saturday night at my moms, and dinner at Jay's moms on Sunday, then fly out on the Tuesday (maybe )
Defo no one at the airport, want to start 'New Life' on a happy note.
Not telling any one when we fly just in case. (except my mate who's dropping us off at the airport )

Izzy

Don't know what to suggest. We opted for separate goodbyes, but to be honest it was exhausting. our last few weeks were manic, we had people to see literally every evening. It was tiring, physically and mentally.

Also, my Dad, who is very practical and not very emotional took us to the airport. We all lost it completely and ended up sobbing in the departure lounge for half an hour. Not the best start !! My dad said he blubbed all day when anyone asked him if we'd gone yet.

So I would advise against airport farwells ! Not sure about the leaving party though

noonard

God - I'm really NOT looking forward to this bit. I know it's going to be awful

moneypenny20

God, do people have other people standing up and saying how much they will miss them I would have died :scared: No one said anything, not even sure how much Aus got mentioned. Just an excuse for a damned good party We had an Aus Flag up and the landlady ( a close friend) did a lovely poster saying good luck. That was it really

sunshine9599

with all my family in scotland and hubbies in england we decided to all go together for a long weekend somewhere in the middle...

i am hoping it will be easier than one night dedicated to the fact that we are leaving...

as for the airport the last thing i want is to be sad when we are going to start a new life .....

decca

We left Newcastle upon Tyne two years ago and had a leaving do for family which was a disaster, we had a party for friends, and we had about 12 people saw us off at the airport, it was very emotional, I cried nearly all the way to Singapore, it's best just to leave, if we were to do it again we would just leave with no fuss.

remmie1

We understand where you are coming from. That must have been awful for you.

For us everyone knew we were going just not when. One of my brothers kept trying to trick me so I said sometime in November (we left in August) everyone went on their summer holidays none the wiser.

I wrote out cards for all our families explaining why and where we'd gone and how much we would miss them and how sorry we were for not having a party.

I am terrified of flying so didn't need anymore emotion to add to the already stressful time.

Posted the cards once we had checked in and felt a weight had lifted.

Had some fabulous text messages once the cards had arrived (I have kept them all) and everyone understood why we had snuck off cos they said they would have found it hard to say goodbye.

Miss everyone like mad though. My best friend is a bit wary of me now though because I told such a big fib!

The Chief

this is a great thread as it's so difficult to know what to do.

1st up no one at the airport for sure.

As for the leaving do, we are heading of at end of september the OH wants a big do but I'm not so keen. The leaving do is really only for people you don't see for ages and feel you need to say goodbye when they would be none the wiser for about 6 months if you don't tell them you leaving. You won't be saying goodbye to your close family as you will be seeing them again after any party and I know my mates would rather have a good night out on the beers without the partners about to nag at them.
I think the idea of circulating news of a leaving drink in a pub somewhere and anyone is welcome to turn up for a drink is the way forward.
Well I've convinced myself, good luck with whatever you decide.

Andy

Sam

We wern't going to have a leaving do and just have the drinks around the local thing!! but our local is having a private function the night we were going to do it, so have ended up arranging a leaving do, we've only invited family and friends (about 200) didnt know we knew so many people, although in fairness we both have fairly large extended families!!!

No-one to the airport though, we're hiring a mini bus and a neighbour is driving us up and dropping us off, (only stopping for us to get out! )