Something for everyone — from the goofy friend to the adventure seeker.
Retirement: it means something a little bit different to every woman. We look forward to it for years, but when the big day arrives, we’re caught up in complicated feelings about the passage of time. Shopping for the perfect retirement gift might seem like an impossible task, but don’t worry — we’ve got you covered.
We’ve gathered a collection of perfect retirement gifts for every woman in your life, from friends and colleagues to your sisters and mothers.
Before picking out a great retirement gift, it’s important to consider your relationship with the retiree. How long have you known her? What kind of relationship do you have? Is she a coworker, a friend, or a family member?
If you’re shopping for a coworker you’ve known for a year, you’d likely want to get her something classy and fun — maybe related to her interests (if you know them), but generic is okay, too. If you’re shopping for your best girlfriend, on the other hand, you definitely need to find something personal and thoughtful.
Retirement gifts are all about context. Spend some time thinking about what kind of relationship you have with the retiree, and it will help you narrow your search for a meaningful item that will help to usher in her next chapter in life.
Watching someone you’ve worked with day in and day out retire can be bittersweet. Depending on your relationship with her, you might feel a mixture of jealousy, sadness, and happiness — and all of that is okay!
Take some time to reflect on how long you’ve known your coworker and how her retirement fits into her larger work history. Is she retiring from a 40-year career? Or just transitioning from full-time to part-time work? Any type of retirement is worthy of a celebration. But larger milestones mean a larger retirement gift. Here are a few ideas:
Just like with a coworker, shopping for a retiring friend requires you to reflect on your relationship with the retiree. In this case, you likely know a little bit more about her, so you can make your gift a little more thoughtful and personal. Here are a few gift ideas for a friend:
Maybe the spa isn’t her thing but she loves the theater. In this case, get two tickets and take her to a show. Celebrating the new retiree by spending time with her is the way to go.
When brainstorming the perfect retirement gift for a loved one, an experience will beat a retirement mug or gift card any day. And the retirement gift she’ll remember longest is the gift of your time and company.
When it comes to financial freedom during retirement, most experts tend to focus on saving and investing your money. But some of your greatest adventures might happen after retirement when you finally have the savings and freedom to tackle your bucket list. Here’s what to get an adventure seeker:
Functional travel items also make great gifts for retirees. You might get her a pair of binoculars for whale watching on her Alaskan cruise (dare to dream!) or a nice piece of carry-on luggage. For the wine lover, try a nice bottle of wine and a personalized stainless steel wine tumbler.
Retirement doesn’t signify the end of our accomplishments. It’s simply a transition into the next stage of life, when we might tackle more personal bucket list items. Think about the retiree’s interests and your budget, and work from there to come up with an adventurous gift that she’ll love. The ideal farewell gift will make her newly-discovered free time even sweeter.
One of the best (and scariest) parts about being newly retired is all the time that you suddenly have to yourself. Help your retired loved one get excited for this with some self-care and pampering. Here’s a place to start:
Retired women finally have more time to themselves. If she likes being pampered, include some nice body oils, bath bombs, and a gift card to the spa.
If you’re shopping for a coworker you don’t know so well, stick with the tried and true: cute face masks, nail polish, and a bottle of champagne are sure to be well-received. You might also put together a movie lover’s gift basket: popcorn, candy, and a DVD of that new romcom make for a fabulous home movie night.
Being able to slow down and devote time to pampering yourself is one of the great gifts of being retired. Whether she’s a coworker, friend, or loved one, any new retiree is sure to appreciate the gift of self-care.
Is the new retiree celebrating the end of a long and prestigious career? Or maybe she has specific accomplishments from her work that she’s extra proud of. There’s no better way to celebrate a new retiree than with a retirement gift that honors a successful career.
Think about getting her something personalized or engraved: a paperweight, a coffee mug, or a plaque to hang on the wall of her home office. If she’s retiring from a long career in journalism, you might put together a portfolio of her greatest articles. If she’s retiring from a career in law, you might get her a funny t-shirt: World’s Greatest (Retired) Lawyer.
The more unique personalized gift you wrap, the more special and honored your loved one will feel. And don’t be afraid to combine more than one fun gift idea. Perhaps you throw her a nice retirement party and get her the silly T-shirt as a bonus. Or have a beautiful bouquet delivered to her office on her last day, and then gift her with personalized wine glasses at your next get-together.
The transition from a full-blown career into retirement can be both exciting and scary. It’s important to show the women in your life that you’re here for them as they pursue a happy retirement, and a thoughtful and unique retirement gift is a great way to do that! Whether you spend hours picking out the perfect retirement gift or decide to stick with a simple gift card, don’t forget the most important part: your kind words and your presence, letting her know that you’re here for her as she embarks on an exciting new chapter in her life.
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