Is someone in your life about to retire? Are you lost on how to appropriately celebrate a life’s worth of their work?
Buying retirement gifts can feel more complicated than a birthday gift for a distant family member, but it doesn’t need to stress you out. We have a few retirement gifts ideas to honor all their hard work, perfect for anyone on your list.
Monthly Book Subscriptions
The massive amount of time they suddenly have can create anxiety for many people who retire instead of making them feel carefree. Because of this, giving gifts that help them fill up that free time can be helpful, especially when they first retire. Reading, even for just a few minutes a day, can keep them sharp and support their mental health as well.
That’s where monthly book subscriptions come in. Instead of having to find that perfect book, you can gift them a book a month for as long as you want. That way, they’ll have something exciting to look forward to in the mail.
You can even form a book club and discuss what you thought about the books after you’ve finished. It’s a great way to stay in their life, keep them social, and expand your horizons as well. Pair it with a custom bookmark for an even more impressive gift.
If your giftee prefers technology over a physical book, similar options are available for e-readers like the Kindle. That way, they can check out the next bestseller, read an old favorite, or find a new author to enjoy. The options are endless.
Apéritifs and Personalized Glasses
Retirement is a time to sit back and take stock of your life so that you can refocus on the parts of your life that matter the most. For many people, this involves reconnecting with the relationships that may have had to take a backseat due to their work.
Without as structured a schedule, retirees can enjoy the company of the important people in their lives without having to get up early the following day.
However, that doesn’t mean that they want to deal with hangovers. After all, that’s more of a young man’s game. The apéritif lifestyle fits perfectly with this change of pace and is a major reason that the United States has been so keen to adopt it. We believe in it so strongly that we’ve based our entire brand around it. Although a bottle of wine is delicious, your new retiree shouldn’t have to pay for it the next day.
A great retirement gift idea is one of our apéritif Starter Kits paired in a gift basket with a personalized wine glass or two. In addition to the gift itself, the promise of more time spent together even if you’re no longer coworkers will mean a lot to them.
We also offer memberships for our line of apéritifs, which work similarly to any monthly subscription club. Choose between one, two, or six bottles of our core flavors every month, which you (or your giftee) can customize to get the exact flavors they like.
Well Wishes From Their Favorite Celebrity
If all of the retirement gift ideas you’ve looked at are things that your giftee already has, or you’re not sure they’d like, consider something that isn’t physical. If you’re looking for personal and potentially funny retirement gifts, this is a great place to start.
Almost everyone has a celebrity that they look up to, and many of those celebrities can be found on websites that allow you to commission them to record a greeting.
Just give them your retiree’s information, what you’d like them to say, and let them work their magic. For many, even just a short video from their favorite celebrity wishing them a “Happy Retirement” will make them beam from ear to ear.
Golf Equipment
Although it may seem cliche, many retirees love nothing more than hitting the links. Even beginners would love a few golf lessons and may even discover a new hobby they didn’t know they enjoyed.
Make up your own gift basket, complete with golf balls, a gift card for a round or two at a local golf course, and maybe even a few golf clubs. If you’re a golfer yourself, you can also volunteer to go with them! Even heading to the driving range and hitting a few balls can be a great, healthy stress reliever and help keep them in shape during their retirement!
Speaking of keeping them active, Fitbits also make excellent retirement gift ideas. It’s often eye-opening to see just how much things can change when you’re not following a strict schedule that requires you to get out of the house. Gentle reminders to get up and move can help them stay fit and even help fight depression.
Gifts That Can Be Shared With the Grandkids
While the average age of retirement can vary, most people tend to be in their 60s or 70s by the time they can afford to retire. For many, this means they are retiring with a life well-lived outside of work, often including children and even grandchildren.
If the person you are shopping for has a tight relationship with their loved ones, consider getting them a gift that considers that. The best part about these retirement gift ideas is that they can be incredibly specific, taking into account what they like to do with their family. A pool pass, season tickets to an amusement park, or even a gift certificate for a nice dinner out together is sure to make them smile.
Go the Sentimental Route
For many, the thought behind the gift is far more important than the gift itself. The older we get, the more we tend to appreciate that someone has thought about us enough to spend time and money hunting for the perfect gift. If you have one of these people on your gift list, it may be worthwhile to look more at sentimental retirement gift ideas instead of simply expensive ones.
Even a small gift, like a picture frame, stainless steel tumbler, or keychain that says “I’m Retired,” says that you put some serious thought into your gift. Include a picture of them on their first day of work if you can find one, and get that nostalgia flowing. Try to shop with a small business via Etsy, where you can buy personalized retirement gifts while supporting those who need it the most.
These are the gifts that become the hit of any retirement party and quickly turn into cherished keepsakes as they move into the next chapter of their lives.
Gifts To Promote Relaxation
As we’ve touched on, retirement can be stressful for some people. If your retiree tends to be more on the anxious side, or if they’ve mentioned that they are feeling concerned about how they’re going to feel once retiring, you can cater your gifts to help manage some of that for them.
One inexpensive but thoughtful and unique retirement gift is an adult coloring book. Coloring can help focus anxiety and calm the mind, and the result is a beautiful picture they’ll enjoy showing off, too! You can also include a year subscription to a mindfulness meditation app or a set of yoga classes to give the additional options.
In Conclusion
The best way to wish someone “Happy Retirement” is by getting them a gift that means something to them personally. Top-tier retirement gift ideas are never generic and always celebrate the significant life change they are about to embark on. It’s not about the money you spend, but the thought you put into getting them something that they’ll genuinely love and appreciate.
Sources:
How to Prepare for the Emotional Toll of Retirement | AARP
This is your brain on Jane Austen, and researchers at Stanford are taking notes | Stanford
Exercise is an all-natural treatment to fight depression | Harvard Health
