Retirement Party Ideas: How to Organize a Smashing Retirement Party for a Loved One
Retirement is a day many people look forward to as the start of a second life, the beginning of a new era when they can do things they never had time for while working. This is why you should celebrate this special day. Our retirement party ideas list is a great way to start planning ahead!
Decades ago, retirement often meant the end of a career working for a single employer, who would show their appreciation with the proverbial watch.
However, things have changed, and few of us working in private industry stay with the same employer through our whole career.
Most people chop and change jobs and possibly locations every few years, so the once ubiquitous office retirement party is becoming a thing of the past. It’s often up to family or current work colleagues to put on a party for the retiree, and that means anything can go.
Organizing a memorable retirement party can be easy if you take a few simple steps and read all about our retirement party ideas. Remember retirement is not a surprise, so getting the retiree involved along the way will help so much.
Retirement Party Ideas, Themes & Tips:
The Guest List
Creating the right guest list will make the party go pop. It’s best not to guess which co-workers the retiree was particularly friendly with.
Get the retiree involved in putting together the list. Try and get them to include work colleagues from previous employers or old friends and acquaintances from school or college.
With a list of people who have a close enough connection to the retiree to care, the next stage of the planning, deciding on a theme, becomes so much easier.
Setting the Theme
The right theme influences everything about the party, from the food to the décor, so picking the right one for the person retiring is crucial. Below a few retirement party ideas and themes:
The theme should have a close connection with the retiree’s life inside or outside of work or be something looking to the future.
✓ Career
It may sound like a no-brainer, but a retiree’s career can make the most awesome party theme. Just think of a teacher with chalk boards and centerpieces inspired by apples – get it?
How about a ‘Bob the Builder’ retirement party for a construction worker, or something medical for anyone who works in the health industry.
The theme can be closely or loosely related to their profession, and with a little inspiration can make a party swing.
✓ Year of hiring
If you are organizing a party for someone who has worked for their employer some time, how about adding a bit of ‘Back To The Future’ and set the theme of the party around the year they were first hired.
You can decorate the venue like a time machine, back to that year, and have everyone dress in a typical style of the era. You could even go as far as to make sure the food is authentically ‘of the time’.
Try and get the family to provide some photographs of the retiree when they first joined the company so you can see a great picture wall of images from the past as a reminder.
✓ Vacation
Everyone has their dream vacation. So, why not give the retiree their own holiday of a lifetime as a retirement party idea. You can turn a backyard or a venue into a foreign location.
It’s a popular theme that’s often inspired by the traditional Hawaiian Luau party. You can set the venue into a tropical oasis to get the retiree in the mood for their dream vacation.
✓ Future world
Even when retiring people have plans for the future. It could be a new occupation, a new place to live, or a new goal in life. Use the next chapter in their life as inspiration for the party that will launch them on the next stage of their journey.
Discover what is going to be the next important landmark in their life and use that as the theme for their retirement party.
✓ Hobby world
For many people, their hobby is just as dominant as their work lives, in fact, it can be even more so. The retiree may like to make model airplanes, paint landscapes, or maybe play golf.
Any can be an inspiration for their fantastic retirement party. Using a hobby as a theme allows lots of scope for gift ideas too.
Time & Place
As you’ve already worked out the guest list, then picking a venue becomes easier. You will know roughly how many people you expect to attend, so choosing a venue that will fit everyone becomes that much easier.
Think about who has been invited, and if they are retirees as well. If the majority is no longer in full-time work, it might be easier to plan for a weekday event. However, if they are mostly working, then think of a weekend affair.
Invitations
With the time, place and theme you can turn your mind to sending out invitations. Remember, not to forget the theme of the party if you want people to make an extra effort to dress up for the event.
If it is going to be a more formal affair, then mention what guests are expected to wear to the party. The more information you can give in the invite, the easier it will be for guests to prepare in accordance with your plans. Don’t forget to include a plus one for each invite.
Food, Beverage & Decorations
The theme of the party will often mean the type of food to be served is pre-determined. Also, the number of people being invited will allow you to work out if it can be self-catered, or you need to bring in a party catering company to provide the food and beverages.
Some catering companies offer a complete service to provide not just the food and drink but will do the decorations for your specific theme at an additional cost.
However, it’s sometimes nice to see to the decorations yourself to add a more personal touch to the retirement party atmosphere.
With our retirement party ideas, you are sure to organize a smashing party your loved one will enjoy!
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