Julia and Kathryn have lived next to each other for the last nine years, and were pretty much inseparable because they enjoyed many of the same things, such as outlet shopping, spa days, and Zumba. Even their children had become close friends and had frequent sleepovers on weekends. So when Kathryn’s husband, Martin, got a lucrative promotion at his company’s new site eight hundred miles away, it was a difficult decision for the family to make the move along with him.
Over the last three months, Julia had been helping Kathryn with the many tasks that needed to be completed before the big move, including sorting their stuff and figuring out what they would bring and dispose of, looking for the right school for Kathryn’s children in their new city, and other important considerations. Now, with two weeks left before Kathryn leaves, Julia is putting together a farewell party along with their closest neighbors, family members, and friends.
Julia wanted to send off her best friend with a memorable and useful moving away gift, knowing it would be at least a few months before they see each other again. Of course, with e-mail, Skype, and text messaging, Julia knew they would stay in touch, but it would still not be the same as having her next door, and she wanted some great farewell gifts that would be very special for her friend.
Some suggestions that came up included:
A digital photo album/display. These inexpensive but very contemporary tablet-style digital photo albums are great not only for storing photo memories, but also for displaying pictures in various orders for different areas of the house. Also, they are 
easy to update, so Julia and Kathryn could keep adding new memories.
Gift cards. Gift cards and certificates for national retail stores, shops, restaurants, and other establishments come in handy, are very useful, and are also not bulky or difficult to pack. Julia looked for some gift cheques for Kathryn’s favourite home décor outlets, as well as for a couple of restaurants that she knew Kathryn’s family enjoyed and had locations in the new area they were moving to.
Cleaning kit. Julia knew Kathryn too well to realize that her friend would immediately go into cleaning and settling-in mode the moment they got to their new home, so she wanted to make it less of a chore by packing a bucket with all-around household cleaners, solutions, and tools. Best of all, the bucket also doubled as a cleaning and rinsing tool.
Area rugs, welcome mats. Rugs and mats for the indoors add insulation and privacy, while also making the home feel a bit more cozy. Julia bought several area rugs that were not too big but enough to remind Kathryn of her and their moments together.
Gym/health club membership. Kathryn and Martin were fitness enthusiasts, so Julia also looked up some national and local gyms and fitness centres in their new area, getting a three-month membership (plus a month free trial) to get them started and acquainted with others in their area.
