Every New York household is unique. Many people have traditions that they enjoy celebrating from year to year, be it birthday parties, anniversaries or, even, years of sobriety in a 12-step program. Nowadays, however, another new tradition is trending in this state and across the country, which is “the divorce party.” If it sounds like something you might want to try, it’s helpful to chat with others who have hosted such parties or to read about the topic online.
Perhaps you’re wondering why anyone would want to have a party with a divorce theme. People who have done so often answer that they decided they did not want to move on in life while dwelling on negative things that happened in the past. You might consider a divorce party as a way to obtain closure and feel confident about your decisions. This type of party is not meant to degrade or mock a former spouse. The ultimate goal is to feel good about yourself and to celebrate the beginning of a new journey in life.
Popular divorce party themes
The following list includes some of the most popular divorce party activities that people who have hosted such parties have said truly helped them develop a positive mindset as they moved toward a new lifestyle:
- One theme includes asking guests to write well-wishes and words of advice. If you have friends who have navigated divorce in the past, they might have wisdom to share.
- Many people also create vision boards. This is where you would paste pictures, words or phrases that align with your goals and dreams for the future.
- Hosting a movie night and watching self-empowering types of films is another popular divorce party theme.
- If you want a more whimsical theme and are trying to keep your sense of humor, you can host a cocktail event and label drinks with funny titles, such as “So Long Island Iced Teas.”
- People enjoy giving gifts at parties; this can be helpful if you’re starting out from scratch, such as having to find a new home or job.
Hosting a divorce party is definitely not a tradition that might have been common 30 or 40 years ago. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the idea. Taking care of your emotional, mental, physical and financial health is an important part of adapting to life after divorce. Many people say that hosting a party helps them do that.
In addition to the emotional aspects of divorce, there are, of course, legal issues to deal with as well. The stronger a support network one has in place, the less stressful resolving such issues may be.
