The latest trend in splitsville is probably to throw a divorce party. This has become quite popular in the US, and starts to rise in Europe and Japan as well.

Why such an event for a not so pleasant time of your life? According to the specialists of the question, it symbolizes your newly re-found freedom.

When you think about it, it can be ridiculous, but quite helpful too if you want to move on. I still remember those sleepness nights we spent with all my girlfriends, back to school, when we used to light a fire with all our ex-belongings, and just felt relieved after that. It was like taking revenge on what those little bastards  our ex did to us.

Of course, the impact of such an act varies a lot on how the relationship ended. If you just break up on a common agreement, chances are it will do nothing on you. On the contrary, the more painful the breakup was, the more this ceremony makes sense. At least, this is what some of my friends think….

J., 34, told me she needed to have a “sort of divorce party” 6 months after her partner left her for another woman. “I didn’t want to do this before, because I wasn’t ready, but when the moment arrived, I felt like I was starting a new life”  she said. “I didn’t want to have a male stripper like some women want for this event. All I wanted was my friends around me, spending a good time together . We added just a little ceremony where I burned all my ex’s belongings and I received a necklace from my friends, marking this event” she added.

According to J., there’s an important thing to consider when you throw a party like that. You have to be ready to move on, otherwise, this won’t have the effect expected.

But for some people, this period of waiting  can be really short. “I had to have a ceremony like that just after my breakup. Our relationship was horrible, and it was a relief for me when we parted ways. I felt like a weigh was lifted off me, and that I could now start a new life”explained R., 31.

Does this ceremony really help you to move on ?