37 Going Away Gifts That Keep You Connected in 2025
Going away gifts can feel tricky. You want something thoughtful but also useful as they pack, travel and settle into a new chapter. And there’s good reason to lean practical: research in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that everyday gifts often do more to strengthen bonds than flashy ones, because they’re woven into daily life. That’s why going away gifts matter: they aren’t just about saying goodbye — they’re small bridges that keep the connection alive.
And let’s be honest, goodbyes are hard. From coworkers leaving for a new job to friends heading across the country or family chasing a new adventure, you’ll miss them and they’ll be juggling the chaos of moving — packing, unpacking, figuring out new routines, even hunting down a new favorite coffee spot. The right gift adds comfort in the middle of all that, a little joy and a reminder of home.
So, what’s a person to do? That’s where this list comes in. We’ve designed it to get those creative juices flowing with great going away gift ideas. From food and houseware to online experiences and keepsakes, these going away gifts cover the mix of practical and personal that actually make goodbyes a little easier.
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- Last Minute Going Away Gifts
- Going Away Gifts for Coworkers
- Going Away Gifts for Family
- Going Away Gifts for Friends
- Going Away Gifts for Men
- Going Away Gifts for Women
Last Minute Going Away Gifts
1. Photo Book
Putting together a quick photo book online takes only a few minutes, but the impact lasts for years. With Shutterfly, Google Photos, Walmart and Snapfish, it’s easy to create personalized photo books filled with special moments and memories. Simply upload, design the layout and add captions. You can be as creative as you like with this going away gift. It’s a moment of their time that they can come back to again and again.
2. Decorative Socks
You can be sure they’ll never forget you with your face on their feet. These custom face socks (available on Etsy) make a fun gag gift for a friend, office bestie or anybody who enjoys a good laugh. Find a quirky pair with a message like, “Later Traitor!” and have your face printed all over them. It’s a lighthearted way to show you care without needing a lot of time to plan.
3. Streaming Service
A subscription to Netflix, Spotify, or another service is quick to set up digitally. And it might just give them some much-needed entertainment during those first quiet nights in a new place. Give them chill time with a subscription to Amazon Prime, Netflix or Hulu. Whatever’s streaming, their favorite show. You can even schedule in a group streaming event and watch shows together like they’d never left.
4. Department Store Gift Card
Whenever there’s a move, there’s going to be something last-minute they’ll need. Whether it’s cleaning supplies, paint, hardware or picture-hanging gear, a gift card to somewhere like Target, Walmart, Amazon or Home Depot will always come in handy.
5. Meal Delivery
Unloading a moving truck, unpacking boxes and moving furniture can wear a person out. Answering the door to see a pizza delivery person (or something equally delicious) showing up at the front door is something they’ll appreciate more than you’ll know. With services like GrubHub, DoorDash or Uber Eats, you can arrange delivery directly to their door.
Going Away Gifts for Coworkers
6. Virtual Game Nights
Keep game night going even though you’re far apart with a virtual game night. Virtual gifts make it easy to keep your coworker traditions going, without giving up on the competition. From classic board games to trivia and escape room-style games, you’ll stay connected with them over a platform like Zoom. Because we all know that some friendships at work extend beyond the office.
7. Online Trivia Games
It’s never too late to give going away gifts. If you’re missing a coworker who recently moved away, get back together with an online version of your favorite trivia game. Online trivia games are perfect for teams or the whole family. Spend an evening of friendly competition answering questions about pop culture, world news and even culinary knowledge of food and wine topics. It’s less about the score and more about keeping those shared laughs going.
8. Escape Room
Get together for a last hurrah in an exciting escape room experience. If you’ve already said your goodbyes or don't have an escape room nearby, take the escape room concept online with a virtual escape room. Working together to solve puzzles mirrors the teamwork you’ve built on the job; keeping that momentum going will ensure the connections aren’t lost.
9. Virtual Scavenger Hunts
Virtual scavenger hunts are a fun going away gift for a boss or colleague who enjoys a challenge. An entertaining host leads the game, making sure everyone works through things. It’s a night of fun that makes the goodbye feel less final by focusing on fun. Players can even use Google Maps to explore new cities, find clues and solve location-specific questions.
10. House or Desktop Plant
Bring a bright touch to their new workspace with a flowering plant, trailing vine or some other greenery. According to the University of Vermont, plants in the workplace help reduce stress, enhance employee attitudes and improve air quality — even more reasons to bump up the greenery with this going away gift. And every time they water it, they’ll remember the coworkers who sent it their way.
11. Basket of Goodies
For another great going away gift for a boss or coworker, fill a basket with specialty items and famous foods, either from the place they’re leaving or from the place they’re headed to. Think about items like California oranges, Memphis BBQ sauces, Georgia peaches or Virginia peanuts. Or coffee beans from a local shop (where you shared your morning coffee), specialty candy and snacks or just a bunch of their favorites to munch on while traveling to the new location.
Going Away Gifts for Family
12. Cooking Classes
Cooking classes make excellent going away gifts for friends who like to create in the kitchen. Local gourmet chefs lead classes on everything from bread baking and cake decorating to Asian-fusion, Italian pasta and four-course seafood menus.
You’ll find cooking classes in San Antonio, Indianapolis, Atlanta or any city near you. If you're unsure which class to take, you could always get them a foodie gift card and let them choose.
13. Online Cooking Classes
If distance is already a factor, online cooking classes let family members stay connected no matter where they are. And because these classes are online, you can take them together. All you need to do is find the right time. You’ll learn culinary techniques such as knife skills, baking basics, roasting tips and even grilling tricks from expert chefs. Choose from local, regional and international cuisines.
14. Cutting Board
Celebrate where they’re going or where they came from with a state-shaped Totally Bamboo cutting board. It’s embellished with laser-engraved artwork of top towns and attractions that give hometown feelings. The front makes a conversation piece as a charcuterie board or even as wall art. Use the back side for cutting, slicing and dicing. And because bamboo is long-lasting and easy to clean and maintain, it’s a durable going away gift for neighbors and friends.
15. Cheese of the Month
Help them celebrate their first year in a new location with a cheese subscription box. It keeps the connection alive month after month and it’s a little surprise that reminds them of home. With a Murray’s Cheese subscription, they’ll receive three to four unique cheeses selected by expert cheesemongers each month. International and domestic selections include cheddar, goat cheese, gouda, pecorino, Stilton and Manchego.
16. Dance Classes
Fun, interactive dance classes in Orlando, San Diego and online dance classes combine cardio and creative movement with the basics of everything from ballet and barre to rhumba, salsa, Bollywood and Afro-Caribbean dance styles. It will be a great going away gift that will give them an opportunity to meet new friends in their new city. You could even take the class together if it’s online and make saying goodbye that much more fun.
17. Photography Classes
Give them a reason to get out and explore their new locale with photography classes or online photography classes. They work for everybody from beginners to advanced photographers, and they can learn how to expertly capture landscapes, portraits and architecture. It’s one of those practical going away gifts, if you know they’ve been struggling with all the buttons and modes on that digital SLR.
Going Away Gifts for Friends
18. Painting Classes
Whether it’s florals, portraits or landscapes, in-person and online painting classes give your departing friend a peek into impressionism, abstract or watercolors as they learn about painting techniques, artists and different paint types such as oils and acrylics. Talented artists lead these sessions, which make wonderful gift ideas for artistic types.
Sharing a painting class with a friend before they move turns into a memory you’ll both keep. Even if the art ends up messy, the laughter and stories behind the brushstrokes will be what stays with them.
19. Drawing Classes
Going away gifts for the creative types? How about a drawing class? From introductory to advanced cartooning, illustration, figure drawing and portraits, drawing classes and online drawing classes allow budding artists to explore colored pencils, pen and ink and brush lettering. And who knows? Maybe they’ll end up with a nice new home décor gift they can hang in their new home.
20. Art Classes
Not feeling the drawing vibes? Go more artsy with going away gifts for friends who like to let their creative side run wild. They’ll learn tips and tricks from talented artists in an array of mediums as well as digital media, art history and artist profiles. It’s a gift of both time and inspiration.
21. Acting Classes
Acting classes are one of the best going away gifts for a friend who wants to bump up their skills or start a new hobby. From the comfort of their home, they can learn improv, comedy or dramatic theater skills from expert actors. Classes are perfect for beginner or advanced actors. It’s a playful send-off and a reminder not to take life too seriously.
22. Long-Distance Friendship Lamp
Let each other know you’re thinking of one another via the magic of Wi-Fi. The Filimin Friendship Lamp is one of the best gifts for a college student who’s away from home for the first time. When one of you touches your lamp, the other one will light up, no matter how far away you are.
23. Welcome Mat
Brighten their new front door with a warm, welcoming message. After all, a welcome mat makes a new house feel like home. This natural coir welcome mat withstands weather conditions, making it good for indoor or outdoor use. Adding a personal touch, like a monogram or inside joke, turns a simple item into something with meaning.
24. Local Experience or Attraction
A gift certificate to a local museum, show, or attraction in their new city helps them settle in faster. It’s a thoughtful way of saying you want them to feel at home wherever they land. Check sites like Groupon for lots of ideas for going away gifts.
Going Away Gifts for Men
25. Glass Blowing Classes
Few experiences stick in your memory like shaping fire into glass. A class gives them the chance to try it themselves and leave with a one-of-a-kind piece they can bring to their home. Professional glass blowers teach these sessions, which are one of the best going away gifts for artistic types to learn a new medium.
26. Woodworking Classes
Instead of buying something off the shelf, let them build it. A woodworking class sends him off with a skill he’ll carry long after the move — and a project he can proudly say came from his own two hands. Expert craftsmen and woodworkers teach how to carve, cut and create wooden furniture, shelves and décor to display in the home.
27. Online Mixology Classes
Treat your favorite home bartender to online mixology classes. They can learn how to make Italian negronis, a trio of Bourbon-based drinks or take it to the tropics with pina coladas, margaritas and mojitos. Joining an online mixology class keeps the tradition of happy hour alive, even from different cities. You can schedule a class together and raise a glass, no matter the distance.
28. Virtual Wine Tastings
Virtual wine tastings don’t just teach wine appreciation. They also teach how to pair cheese and wine or treat themselves to dessert wines. Create a traditional Italian dinner complete with an array of Italian wines such as prosecco and Chianti, or head to Spain with traditional tapas and cava and Blanco Rioja.
29. Water Bottle
Impact-resistant and made of BPA-free materials, a Tervis tumbler embellished with their home state or favorite collegiate team makes a thoughtful going away gift. The double-walled and insulated construction is equally perfect for hot coffee or icy water, as well as reducing condensation on tabletops. Most are microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. They’ll think of you every time they use it — on commutes, hikes or even workouts.
Going Away Gifts for Women
30. Paint and Sip
If she’s leaving town, a paint and sip voucher is a thoughtful way to ease the transition. It gives her a ready-made night out in her new city, surrounded by people who are also there to unwind, sip a little wine, and not take themselves too seriously.
Browse paint and sips in NYC, Orange County, Sacramento or a city near you for an experience gift to remember.
31. Sewing Classes
A sewing class is a thoughtful going away gift because it gives her more than a skill — it gives her a sense of independence as she settles in. Being able to stitch her own curtains, fix a seam, or start a creative project makes a new place feel like hers faster. It’s practical, but it also opens up space for self-expression, which can be comforting in an unfamiliar city.
32. Pottery Classes
Starting fresh can feel unsteady, and that’s where a pottery class makes such a meaningful going away gift. There’s something grounding about working with clay, shaping it into bowls or mugs she’ll actually use in her new home. Each piece carries a little of the transition — imperfect, handmade, and full of memory. Plus, it’s a natural way to meet new people without the pressure of small talk.
Give pottery classes in San Francisco, San Diego or Minneapolis a try, or search for pottery classes near you.
33. Housewarming Home Cleansing Kit
Not just for shooing away ghosts and spirits, sage makes a unique gift for cleansing and blessing a new home. This sage cleansing housewarming kit includes a bottle of sage smudge spray, a woven palm hand fan, instructions, a sage-growing kit and more. It’s a symbolic gesture that can make a new house feel lighter, warmer and more welcoming.
34. Homesick Candle
Remind them of where they left or inspire happiness for where they’re going. Homesick Candles features familiar scents associated with states and cities (think: suntan lotion and coconuts for Miami, pine and fir for Denver or lemon and rose for California).
The all-natural soy wax blend comes in a glass jar with an outline of the state on it. It offers 60-80 hours of burn time for a long-lasting going away gift.
35. State-Themed Tea Towels
Another wonderful location-themed going away gift, the state map multi-use microfiber towel features a hand-drawn map with famous landmarks and cities. It will remind them of home or introduce them to their new state. It has a hang loop and is machine-washable, wrinkle and stain-resistant. Which makes it great for practical use.
36. Virtual Flower Arranging
A virtual flower arranging class makes a lovely going away gift for her because it brings beauty into her everyday. Learning how to turn simple stems into something elegant can be grounding when everything else feels new. It’s also an easy way to stay connected — you can both sign in to a virtual flower arranging class, create side by side, and share the ritual no matter how many miles are between you.
37. Coffee Mug
A coffee mug may be small, but it slips right into her daily rhythm. Every morning, as she pours that first cup, it’s a gentle reminder of the friendships and memories she’s taking with her. This 15-ounce housewarming coffee mug is dishwasher and microwave-safe and makes a great going away gift for a new homeowner. It’s embellished with “New Home New Adventures New Memories.”
Going away gifts don’t have to be extravagant to mean something. A small gesture — a class that sparks creativity, a candle that smells like home, or even a simple mug — can soften the goodbye and keep the connection alive. These thoughtful gifts for someone moving away become little reminders that distance doesn’t erase friendship.
For even more fun gift ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
