[Yogi]

Hi,

How many of you had leaving do before you left UK, and those that did, what sort of thing?

Mrs Yogi keener than me to have one. I reckon those that matter will manage to say goodbye anyhow. We have a toddler also so late night booze-up / disco not really applicable.

Cheers,

Yogi.

[katandbob]

we arnt having one either - with leaving the kids behind, 2 for 3 mths and our daughter & family till whenever???? :(

Rob says it wouldnt be fair, to be honest I dont want to waste any money so that people who hardly ever say hi to you can come and have a P"££up on your back!

we are going to have an open house the weekend before we go--hopefully it will be sunny enough to crack up the BBQ!¬imagine gloves and hats and coats! and sausages & plenty of :cheers ....

I am getting emotional enough as it is without bawling my eyes out at the local pub.

Kat

[Marie P]

I had my 40th in sept ,so had a big party then ,saw lots of relatives and friends that I saw occasionally .
We left for NZ end of Nov ,so had a few meals out with close friends nearer to our leaving date ,and a final family meal on the sunday night ,meal at the pub with friends and their kids Monday evening and flew out Tuesday morning .
I actually made the effort to have these meals ,say our Goodbyes and then not see them again ,as it got very hard to keep doing it .

I got quite ruthless in the end and matter of fact about it ,but hey no one has died and we can all meet again here or there in my mind .
[But it is bloody tough especially seeing your kids saying goodbye to their best friends !!]

[jubjub]

We did not have one either, but made sure we saw all people that really mattered and had nice days out with them etc, even managed a holiday abroad with each set of parents. A party would have been a huge caffuffle trying to get people from Warwickshire and Glasgow all in the same place.....

All the people that really matter have stayed in touch too.

[K&CS]

We didn't have a do either. We've got a baby, so it would have been hard, but also we just didn't have the time. There's so much to organise before you go that it would be just one extra big stress. The goodbyes are hard enough anyway, so I'm really glad we didn't have one. If I were ever doing this again (which I really hope we're not), I would try and sneak away withhout all the goodbyes - it just stresses you out too much. I really didn't enjoy the final week in the UK at all!

Kate

[Smiler]

I had 2 leaving do's at work,(I left 3 months before we left the UK) one I blubbed my way through, the second not so bad. Some people there were very close friends for over 10 years not just colleagues.

We didn't have time for a proper do as we only had a week to pack, ship and get out but took our parents out for lunch and both Mums blubbed their way through that:wah. Infact they started the minute they saw each other and I shut them in the lounge.

On our last night we went out for dinner with our close family, by then we were so strung out though. OH's sis started bawling 1/2 way through and didn't stop. Everyone else was fine and we had a good night

We got loads of cards and stuff from peeps we didn't have time to say goodbye to and that was much less traumatic. We really didn't want a fuss or a big do, like Marie says, we weren't dying, just moving.

Wish we had thought of having an open house and pack a box party. :D

[firstkings]

We've just started to "think about" a leaving do or two or three....I'm now not so sure.

Could very ultra-emotional. I get the feeling we'd still be doing personal good-byes to those that are nearest/dearst anyway...

I guess there's no best way!

David

[dawn]

We're having ne on 1st July, we're combining it with renewing our wedding vows, so it'll almost be like a wedding. We've got friends spread far and wide over the UK and won't have time to get round them all to say goodbye.

Renewing vows at 4, partaaaaaay starts at 6, I'm really looking forward to bawling my eyes out all night!

We'll be staying with my parents for 4 days before we go, so I get some private time with my family which will be great.

[Diny]

We had a BBQ at my parents place. In fact, alot of our fellow forumites were there, along with all my family and friends. It was about 6 weeks before we left so didn't feel too final - as far as I can rmember there weren't any tears (apart from the losing team in rounders - who was it who scored a double rounder again?).

Didn't have any 'last night' get togethers, I wouldn't have been able to cope with that !! Although I do remember getting smashed on gin at the airport hotel with the help of Kim & Elaine and Jo B !!

Diny

[sizzlingbadger]

We decided against a leaving party, too many people upset at what we were doing.

Instead we went somewhere special with each of our parents. Had a long weekend away down South to say goodbye to the kid's great grans and all our friends. The holiday was about 4 months before we left.

We stayed with my husband's parents a week before we left and they took us to the aiport. My mum flatly refused to know when we flew so she had know idea that we had even got to NZ until my husband's parents rang her. My dad knew when we were leaving and we had a lovely weekend with him a couple of weeks also before we left (my parents are separated).

[kiwidollie]

We didn't want a big 'do' but we did want the opportunity to get together with everyone that meant something to us. We hired the local social club hall and just had some background music on, no buffett, no disco or anything like that.

Then we just put the word out that we'd be there from 7o'clock onwards and anybody that wanted to come and have a drink and a chat with us before we left were very welcome.

It was great - the kids friends came, work colleagues and people who we'd not seen for years turned up and we had a great time.

We also had a last night get together with Mums and Dads and siblings which was really, really hard - those final goodbyes nearly broke my heart.

However, I do think that it is just something that we all have to go through. I talk to my sisters and my Mum and Dad all the time now that we're here and set up.

The leaving do is a bit of a necessary evil I think - but also makes for some great memories.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Alison

[willsken]

I'm really undecided. I want to say goodbye but I don't want the stress or upset of a big do. I think we will end up having a few smaller goodbye meals out.

I know what it will be like! :wah :wah :wah :wah

[Nienke]

Getting close to my flight to NZ, but because I'm on my own taking care of the whole emigration thing (my husband is already in NZ) I unfortunately do not have the time to organize something for friends.
They keep popping in though these days to say their goodbyes, each time means I'm :wah .
One of my sisters-in-law is organizing a farewell dinner, and me and my son will be staying at my parents for one week before we leave. They will take me to the airport. I'm dreading that moment... :(

[Diny]

They will take me to the airport. I'm dreading that moment... :(

I know what you mean. When we left I totally banned my parents from being at the airport, saying goodbye to them at home was heartbreaking enough, it'll soon be a year since we left and the memory of the goodbyes still rips my heart out.

Hey - bet that's cheered you up eh.

Diny

[Marie P]

We banned everyone from the airport too ,said goodbye the night before ,and had a taxi to the airport .
With having the children I wanted the tears over and done with [by me I mean ] and going to the airport and getting on the plane as an exciting and positive forward thinking occasion ,not sad and leaving everyone .

Marie x

[K&CS]

We had a couple of friends and Craig's brother and partner wave us off in the taxi to the airport. Craig was too excited to even notice that his brother was crying - just goes to show the difference between men and women!!!

[Nienke]

Hey - bet that's cheered you up eh.
Diny

No it didn't .... :p :wah

A taxi is not really an option, that would be way too expensive from where my parents live. And they truly want to take us to the airport. There will be even more family there who definitely want to wave us off.
On the other hand, I'm looking forward to stepping onto that plane and finally be with my husband again! :raebanana