Itâs always hard to say goodbye: a colleague leaving for retirement, a friend relocating to another place, or a loved one going off for his or her next step. Farewell card are traditional and one of the best ways to express feelings and make great impressions on these occasions. Making the perfect farewell card is an art comprising thoughtfulness and creativity, spiced by a pinch of style. In this article, walk with us through some aspects of how to craft the perfect words and pick the right design for your leave card.
Understanding the Occasion
Before setting up to pen down or design a farewell card, one must be sure of the context of the farewell. The nature of the departure that one wishes to embark on will decide the tone, content, and design of the card. Here are a few common occasions for which you could create a card:
Retirement: Wishing a long career and luck in golden years.
Moving: A friend or family member relocating to another city or country.
Career Change: A colleague that is leaving for a new job or career altogether.
Graduation: A student moving into the next phase of life.
Extended Travel: Someone taking off on a vacation for a long or unspecified period of time.
All of these circumstances are different in their own way and may require more specific wording to make the message resonate with the recipient genuinely.
Locating the Right Vocabulary
The message is the heart and soul of your leaving card. The right words must be used, balancing between sincerity, warmth, and a sense of personalization. Here are a few tips on composing the perfect farewell message.
Begin with a Warm Greeting
Start your message with a warm and friendly greeting. You can decide to be chummy or official depending on the recipientâs relationship.
âHey [Name],â
âDear [Name],â
Take Your Leave
Write an Effective Goodbye. Be sincere and heartwarming as you tell the person leaving that no one can ever take their place.
âI canât picture the office without your contagious laugh.â
âI canât believe youâre moving so far away, but I know youâll rock your new home.â
Share a Memorable Moment
Make your note feel personal by evoking a shared memory. Share with the recipient good times that must have been with them.
âRemember that time we worked late to get everything done and somehow ended up with our own mini pizza party at the office? Iâll miss those moments.â
Offer Well Wishes
Wish them success, happiness, and good fortune in their way to the new beginning. This, therefore, reflects your support and the tone of positivity you would want him/her to carry to their future.
âWishing you all the best in your retirement. May it be filled with relaxation and joy.â
âGood luck with your new job! Theyâre lucky to have you.â
Close with a Heartfelt Goodbye
Sign off with a genuine farewell. Depending on the tone in your message, you can make it light-hearted or more touching.
âTake care and keep in touch!â
âGoodbye, dear friend. Youâll always be in my heart.â
Personalizing the Design
The design of your goodbye card must match well with the personâs personality and the type of the occassion. Here are a few features to ponder while personalizing your card :
Choose the Right Colors
Colors can incite feelings in people; they give a temperament to your card. Warm colors, uplifting colors, and hopeful colors are the best to go for in a farewell card.
Warm Colors- Generally red, orange, and yellow indicate warmth and happiness.
Cool Colors-Blue and Green are ideal colors for peace and calm.
Neutral colors- White, Black, and Grey- Are ideal colors to clean classic look to your card.
An image can complement what your card is trying to say and can make it visually pleasing. Choose an image that communicates the recipientâs hobbies, interests, or the nature of their exit.
Retirement: A tranquil beach scene or a comfortable pair of slippers
Moving: A map or a picture of where theyâre moving
Career Change: An image explaining their new occupation or a motivational quote
Personalize
Personal touches can make your card really unique, and the recipient will feel as if you put much thought and effort into it.
Handwritten Notes: Add a note in your handwriting to a pre-printed card.
Inside Jokes: If you guys have an inside joke, adding this element will make them smile, too, but most importantly, it will make them feel special.
Pictures: Inserting a photo that includes you and the recipient will add that personal touch to your card.
How To Make A Farewell Card
If your wish is to go the extra mile, you can top that up with a farewell card, and in this case, a DIY farewell card. Handmade cards are usually full of thought and will in most cases prove to the recipient that you have invested your quite valuable time in something unique. Here is how you can go about making a DIY farewell card:
Gather Your Materials
Cardstock: Pick up an adequately thick cardstock in a color that you are likely to love.
Markers and Pens: Youâll need a good quality marker/pen as much to write your message as to add detail.
Stickers and Embellishments: Decorate as your style requires.
Photos: Print up any photos youâd like to use for your card.
Front Card Design
Start with the front of your card. This will be the first impression on the recipient, so make sure itâs attractive and dynamic.
Title: Use a strong, attractive font to insert a title such as âFarewellâ or âGood Luck.â
Image: Add an image or illustration that is evocative of the event.
Embellishments: Add stickers, ribbon or other add-ons for enhancements in the design.
Write Your Message Inside
Open card and write message inside. Make sure to leave space for an addition or message details.
Salutation: Start with a warm salutation.
Message: Pen down your warm message, which expresses your heartfelt feelings and best wishes.
Complimentary Close: Sign off with a genuine valediction, as well as your name.
Personalize
Make your card special by adding personal touches.
Photos: Insert a small photo of you and your friend.
Doodles Small drawings or doodles that help to articulate the message. Quotes A meaningful quote or message that syncs with the occasion. Digital Farewell Cards In todayâs digital world, the preference for sending a farewell card is usually through electronic means. These are options to consider when thinking about sending a digital card with just a heartfelt message inside. A digital card and a paper card may carry the same feeling as both could serve the purpose of a card. Here, follow how to come up with the perfect design for your digital farewell card:
Select a Digital Card Service
There are plenty of online services that enable you to make digital cards and send them. Some of the popular ones are:
Canva: The website has a lot of templates and customization to provide.
Paperless Post: The website provides several fashionable and graceful card designs.
Punchbowl: This site offers animated cards and has a very friendly interface.
Customize your Card
Make your custom card more personal with text, images, and design provided on your card. Most e-cards have numerous templates from which you can select one and proceed to customize it to suit your specific needs.
Template: Select a template that will be suitable for your occasion and the personality of your recipient.
Text: Insert your heartfelt message, with personalized details of course.
Images: Include photos or illustrations that enhance the design.
Send Your Card
If your card is fully composed, you can send it by email or on the page of the service of an immediate dispatch from there. You can attach a personal note to the email you send with the card.
Group Farewell Cards
There can be instances when farewells involve the interference of a large number of people who would like to contribute to the card. Group farewell cards could be excellent ways to amass feelings in common and present before the recipient how favored they really are. Below is how to make one:
Collect Contributions
Request each person to give a message or note for the card. You can do this by email or by using a shared document.
Instructions: Inform the contributors about the length and tone of the message you require.
Deadline: Create a deadline to collect contributions. This will give you enough time to compile the card
Compile Messages
After you have the contributions, compile them into one card. There are two ways of doing this
Digital Compilation: If you are using a digital platform, there are numerous digital card services that are easy to compile messages to one single card.
Make Handmade Compilation: Write/copy the messages on paper and put inside a card or a scrapbook.
Give the Card
Give the card to the recipient in an exceptional way. If you are in a workplace, maybe you want to arrange a small farewell party for the target person and hand the card during the time of the party. If it is to be a virtual farewell, the same can be sent virtually and the delivery to be made in the virtual farewell event.
Conclusion
Crafting the perfect farewell card is yet another gracious way of sending somebody off on their journey and invoking your warm thoughts for them. Send across your thoughtfulness through a handcrafted card, a self-designed e-card, or messages compiled by a group. Therefore, understand the occasion, choose your words right, and make it personal. Add the touch that will make the making of a farewell card more attractive so that the person who receives it feels that he is valuable and cherished. So, the next time you bid someone farewell, do it with style and heartfelt sincerity.