10 Best Retirement Gift Ideas of 2024
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What do you get for the person who’s about to, as Dolly Parton would say, “tumble out of bed, stumble to the kitchen and pour themselves a cup of ambition” for the last time? If you’re asking yourself, what’s a good retirement gift to give — whether to a man, woman, coworker or family member — then you’re in the right place. To start, the best retirement gifts have one thing in common: sentimentality. Whether you’re looking for a classy, traditional gift for dad to celebrate his last day of work, or a creative, out-of-the-box present to surprise a friend, we’ve got you covered with a list of thoughtful, personalized gifts that will tug at their heartstrings.
If you’re going to fit years, maybe even decades of memories, into one item, you’re going to need a keepsake that can hold every magical moment. Be sure to create a shared album with your coworkers, family members or friends so you can safely preserve every moment in a celebratory photo book! You can print multiple copies, or add other memory-makers as contributors to your project in the Chatbooks app, so that all are invited to upload their favorite pictures. Add captions or text pages for commentary on your favorite memories, or as a place to write a heartfelt note, too. Read on for the best retirement gift ideas of 2023.
For the retiree who’s spent many years at the same company, handwritten notes and photos are the way to go. Opt for a Premium Layflat for thick archival quality paper and print special pictures on one page and leave the next one blank so co-workers can add their favorite memories and words of congratulations. Prompt people to highlight the work and management accomplishments of the retiree so they can look back and remember their impact. Pro tip: Use a metallic marker to make the messages really pop!
Is your retiree a fan of The Office? Or maybe they aren’t a fan, but they are lowkey known as a Michael Scott or Jan behind their backs? Fill a Classic Photo Book with funny photos of the retiree’s time at the office, including screenshots of silly messages or miscommunications, matching outfits, a picture of the gift they gave at the office’s White Elephant party, and anything else that comes to mind. Keep pictures light and goofy. Ask co-workers and friends to use their favorite quotes from the show as text pages. You can automatically add dates and locations to your pictures, too.
Create a memorable album that’ll be on display in their home year-round. Choose a designer cover that fits the retiree best (like an outdoor adventure, florals, outer space and more), or choose a cover with a solid color and write your own title on the front. Designer covers create a luxe, coffee-table-book feel they’ll love to look at. Remember, you can always add a title and date range to the spine of your hardcover photo book, as well.
Looking for an eye-catching present that can go up on the wall? Print photos of your retiree throughout their working career onto Canvas Wall Tiles so that friends, family, and colleagues can write special memories with metallic markers on the lower half of them. This way, they’ll be able to see those sweet messages every day — even when they’re not going into the office anymore.
What better way to congratulate your future retiree on their newest adventure than with a way to document their retirement life? With Monthbooks, they can print 30 of their favorite photos from date nights, pets, their move to Florida, or whatever else comes to mind! This monthly subscription will be something else they can look forward to getting in the mail — other than the crossword!
If you’re looking for a present for a retiree who’s obsessed with their grandkids, what better gift could you give them than a monthly photo book subscription so they can document all the moments they’re now spending with their favorite little ones? Even better, Monthly Minis have rounded edges — perfect for flipping through memories with toddlers.
For the family member that’s retiring, print pictures from their first day of work, any pictures of them in uniform, or daily pics of their office outfits in a Classic Photo Book. Throw in any shots from Take Your Child To Work Day, too! If you don’t have tons of photos, add text pages with messages and memories of your family member during that time period.
Go for a unique and sentimental present, like a travel photo book to commemorate all the vacations your retiree took during their working career — celebrating all the wonderful adventures, travels, people, and friends they spent time with when they weren’t punching their timecard. Or give them a gift card they can use to make a travel photo book of all the adventures they’re planning once they’ve clocked out.
Collect pictures from the retiree’s last year of work, including a picture of their desk, their favorite table to eat at lunch, any sentimental items they kept on their desk (like a calendar from 2015 or cute messages on post-it notes, etc.). Add photos from team activities, awards and company lunches. And don’t forget to take a picture of the future retiree with each of their co-workers before they leave to add the photo book — and have each colleague write a sweet note or memory as a text page (or leave it blank and they can hand write it once you have the photo book in person)!
For all their future adventures, gift your future retiree with a monthly photo book subscription they can start when they’re ready. This way, they can record every exciting new adventure from this part of their life, from learning how to fly fish to finally starting that bowling league.
Retirement gifts are a celebration of hard work, dedication, and of course, the end of a decades-long career! It's no wonder you want to give a gift that's just as special as your retiree. These sentimental photo book options are the icing on the retirement cake — and the perfect way to pull at their heartstrings!
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