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30 Best Retirement Gifts to Celebrate Their Next Chapter
Salute their huge accomplishment with these thoughtful ideas.
When you're in the thick of your career, all you dream about is retiring. Then, when the day finally comes, for most, it's bittersweet. Sure, they no longer have to set an alarm or worry about getting stuck in rush hour traffic, but they are also saying goodbye to friends and colleagues they've spent so much time with doing what they love. That's why picking the best retirement gifts for them — whether they are your parents, spouse or work BFF — is so important. You want to give them with something that will remind them of everything they've accomplished (and maybe also poke fun that they are getting up there in age).
The best type of gift for someone who is retiring will help them make the transition to offline mode, so you can go with something that will encourage them to find a new hobby or help them enjoy one they already have. But if you're on a budget, there are plenty of funny and sentimental ideas that are just little tokens of appreciation to honor their next chapter. On the flip side, if you're shopping for a gift for your boss or mentor, chipping in with a group for a luxury present is also a great idea.
You'll want to keep all of this in mind when shopping our list, but at the end of the day, just letting the retiree know how much their work has meant is really all that matters.
Since they're on the hunt for a new hobby, give them this poster with 100 scratch-off squares that reveal activities they wouldn't necessarily think of, like standing on a glacier and knitting a jumper.
They'll have more time to cook now that they're retired. The board is made of pine wood, so it's actually functional, but it's the sweet message on it that they'll really love.
Retirement will give them tons of free time they might not know what to do with at first. With this dice, all they have to do is give it a roll to find something fun to do.
Although inexpensive, the sweet message and the year charm really elevate this gift. As a bonus, you can give it to them along with one of the great books on our list.
We're getting emotional just reading the front of this card. What's really nice is the back simply says "goodbye and good luck" with plenty of room for a long message or a bunch of signatures.
Now is the time for them to start exploring their dreams outside of work. That might include travel, which would this even more appropriate. "This was a gift for a co-worker who is retiring after 42 years. I was looking for something that was artistic, functional, with quality material and appropriate for someone entering a new phase in life. The size was perfect and it works wonderful," one Amazon reviewer wrote.
It's all in the name. This beautiful mixture of lilies, white roses, carnations and greenery is the ultimate way to say "best wishes" to your former colleague.
The brand says that Amazonite "as been worn to promote courage, success and hope," while the ladybug represents good luck. It is elastic, so it should fit most wrists, and it even comes with a little card.
You're saying goodbye to working with them, but not to your friendship. Let them know you'll always be there for them no matter where you two are in the world.
She probably needed this more when she was at her 9-5, but the sentiment still rings true in her retired years. In addition to looking cute, this stackable bangle will remind her to enjoy the small things like hummingbirds outside her porch or morning coffee with her husband.
A ton of Amazon reviewers say this is the "perfect retirement gift." It actually works, so they'll always know what day it is, which is especially helpful now that they don't have a set schedule.
If they're feeling the retirement blues, this gift is a great way to make them laugh. "I got this for my husband because he retired last week. I switched the rolls out so when he when to the bathroom this was there. He got such a laugh. You could hear him from the bathroom laughing," one Amazon reviewer wrote.
Raise a glass to the retiree with the help of this punny glass. Pair it with a bottle of their favorite vino — red, white or rosé — to get their new life started off right.
If she's thrilled to be leaving her job behind, there's nothing that will make her laugh harder. It also helps that it is a totally functional bag and doesn't specifically mention retirement, so she can use it whenever.
Cailey Lindberg (she/her) is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience covering products, lifestyle, entertainment and food. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, she was a staff writer at USA Today's shopping network, Reviewed.com.