Saying goodbye is usually quite a gloomy event, but a good farewell speech can make it a bit more cheerful.

Good memories: Farewell speeches often begin with the speaker recalling some good memories shared with the people leaving or being left behind. These often include some humorous events which lift the spirits of everyone in attendance, and can range from short anecdotes to finely sketched stories of adventure and excitement.

Humor: Due to its gloomy nature, farewell speeches usually include quite a bit of humor. This is quite essential to the success of the speech, as one of its aims is that it should lift the mood of everyone in attendance. Humor in farewell speeches could be anything that is light-hearted and funny, such as funny stories, humorous one-liners slipped into the speech every now and then, or even longer jokes which may or may not be pertinent to the people leaving or being left behind.

Saying goodbye: The main idea behind farewell speeches is that people are saying goodbye to each other, and doing it in a cheerful way so that you leave on good terms. This is important to bear in mind because the speaker should consciously be aware that he should not bring up anything that would dishearten or upset anyone in attendance. If something negative occurred, for example, between the speaker and some of the guests, this should not be alluded to in the speech in any way. If it is necessary to bring it up at all, perhaps to clear up a misunderstanding, then it is better that this be left for after the speech and done in a private environment. The speaker should say goodbye and leave everyone feeling cheerful and elated, optimistic that they will see each other again sometime in the future..

Saying good luck: Well wishes are another important intention behind farewell speeches. This can be in the form of general well wishes, saying: “good luck for your future endeavors,” etcetera, or it can be specific well wishes whereby the speaker wishes the best for a certain aspiration that he knows the other party has, such as someone starting up a new business; he would say something like: “I wish you all the best for your new business, may it bring you great success.” The latter would be the better form, as it shows a sense of interest in the other party’s affairs and shows that the speaker cares and sincerely would like for the other party to do well.

Uplifting conclusion: The conclusion of a farewell speech should be an enriching experience for everyone in attendance. It usually involves the speaker saying some final words of goodbye and good luck, and is followed by some kind of group activity such as everyone singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow…” This is not always a spontaneous occurrence, so it is usually up to the speaker to instigate or initiate it. The speaker merely has to start singing, and everyone would follow customarily. A song is not the only uplifting activity that can be performed, however. Many groups of friends or families have special activities which they perform together at special occasions, and the conclusion is the perfect opportunity to make use of this common activity. For instance, a family who is really religious may enjoy a good prayer, either chorused or spoken by one individual while everyone bows their heads, and this would be instigated or initiated by the speaker.

More Speeches by Occasion Articles
Learn more about Speech & Communication
Watch Speech Videos