Your children have played together. Both spouses coordinated and erected that wooden fence between their properties and installed a gate between the two patios. This neighbor has been your dearest friend. You’ve shared in raising your children, she gave away that big flowering bush in front of her, and you even shared your family recipes with her. Now they are moving. It’s like a part of your family is moving across the country.

Both have said they will stay in contact with each other. You will write and she will write. She will be occasional phone calls back and forth. You want to give her a gift that will have some special meaning to your life together or will continue the closeness you have. Your neighbor also has her hands full with her luggage. You want to give her something to help her. So what do you give to your dearest neighbor?

I have some suggestions. Maybe some of these will be the right ones.

-If you are better at speaking than writing, then keep in touch with phone calls. Buy a long distance calling card to stay in touch. Find a card with a picture of the plant you gave her, or two houses next to each other, or another symbol of your friendship.

-Your neighbor will need to notify everyone of your change of address. Pick up a mailing address change packet at the post office and fill in your old and new addresses for her.

-Get a new address book and have all the neighbors add their information.

-Go through your old photos and put together a picture book of all the moments you’ve shared together.

-As a memento of your long friendship, get a plant or small tree for your neighbor to plant in their new garden.

-Find or write a poem about your friendship, type or calligraphy on stationery and frame it to hang in your new home.

-He finds a doormat with his last name inscribed on it.

-If your neighbor has a dog, get a new dog tag with your name and a new address and phone number.

– Get a nice stationery box, seal each envelope and write your address on each one.

-If it’s going to be a long car ride to your new city, pack a picnic basket with all the goodies the family loves.

-When they arrive, your neighbors will be very busy unpacking. Put together a basket of canned meats, cheese and crackers to help you through a tired night.

-Get gift coupons from national pizzerias, quick places to go. This will help for the journey and those nights of unpacking.