25+ best retirement gifts, according to experts
The day has finally come for your boss, work wife, real wife, parent or friend to retire. Never having to clock in again is the ultimate farewell gift (truly...), but it's an awesome gesture and fun tradition to mark the next chapter with an inspired, unforgettable offering, a.k.a. an amazing retirement gift to recognize their years of service.
We spoke with some experts, including authors Fritz Gilbert (Keys to a Successful Retirement), Jessica Bruder (Nomadland) as well as a human resources pro and a few of the coolest retirees we know about the ultimate happy retirement sendoff. They agreed that what we give is a deeply personal matter and that many of the greatest gifts are open-ended and forward-looking — like an electric bike or a lifetime National Parks pass. (Spoiler alert: You won't find any rocking chairs on this list.)
"The perfect retirement gift is one that seeks to attract the curiosity of the recipient," Gilbert told Yahoo Life. "Find something they've mentioned they're interested in exploring, and buy a gift that stimulates their exploration."
"I didn't retire to lead a mediocre life," added Sandra Glazer, a retired New York City legal secretary and lifelong merrymaker now dancing up a storm in New Orleans. She suggests zeroing in on the recipient's true passion and give "gifts that help them live their best retirement."
With our experts' sage advice as a guide, we present 25+ great retirement gifts for the lucky and deserving retirees in your life with tons of free time to enjoy them.
Retirement is "the time to do what you've always wanted to do," Gilbert told Yahoo Life. Honestly, everyone we spoke with mentioned travel. Send them off in style with this gem of a bag . If your budget doesn't allow for this price point, then consider this stellar Samsonite hardside carry-on that's also built to last.
And the first thing many people want to do when they walk out that door is book it out of town. Gilbert suggests gifting "a few nights in an AirBnB in a location you know they love." Better yet, let them choose the spot(s) with an Airbnb e-card (any amount) or a physical gift card.
Nomadland author Bruder suggests a National Parks pass. "Annual passes can be gifted. And for 62+ there’s a lifetime senior pass — the America the Beautiful pass — that the user needs to buy. But one could give them a digital national parks gift card for that purpose."
The truth is, not everyone gets to ditch work when they retire, as Bruder illustrated in her book. Many continue on in the gig economy or with other jobs. But mini trips to connect with nature are an awesome respite and can be weaved into a busy schedule.
Nature travelers, backyard birders and sports fans alike will cherish these lightweight Nikon Monach M5 binoculars. They offer a wide view in high-res and offer great comfort even to glasses wearers. This is just the type of gift that, as Gilbert said, "stimulates their exploration."
Eva Markowitz, a human resources v.p., said, "A unique, personal gift is the best way to acknowledge a retirement." She recalled an example from years ago: "We invited employees to record a brief farewell message for [our CEO], and we spliced them together into a video that we played at his retirement party. We put the video on a USB drive engraved with a message and gifted it to him after the party."
The Aura Carver is a modern way to pull this sentimental gift idea together. Load it up, put a bow on it and all they'll have to do is turn it on. Even their grandkids will be able to send photos to the device!
An alternate way to present a staff surprise is via the wildly popular Echo Show 15. Stream a team video or display a photo timeline on using the Photo Frame feature. The 15 itself is an versatile gift they'll be able to use for years to come. It offers at-a-glance organization, entertainment, news and so much more. The handy device even made Oprah's Favorite Things 2022 list.
We all hope retirement will mean more time with friends, both old and new! Help them bring everyone together over margaritas with this gorgeous set. Social butterfly Glazer loves to "meet up with friends...for a drink and conversation." Retiring and moving to New Orleans as the pandemic hit "put quite the cramp in what I thought I would be doing." A set like this lets one throw a little party any ol' time they please.
Any gift that lets them delve into their hobbies, Gilbert said, is a good one. We noticed that Masterclass happens to have a two-for-one membership deal going on now.
Gilbert personally recommends classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School, which offers online classes as well as weekend and weeklong classes in crafts, art, music, dance, and more in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina.
"It's easy to do too much," said Martha Miller, a retired CDC epidemiologist, who stays busy grandparenting and volunteering (Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, foster care advocacy). "I used to think I'd be able to sit in a rocking chair and read, but there seems to be little time for that." The birth of her first grandchild was "the most awesome retirement gift," but another fave was a surprisingly simple one "from my good friend, Sharon, who knows how much I love chocolate chip cookies. She gave me two really nice cookie sheets, a cooling rack, and a giant bag of Nestle chocolate chips. Every time I use the cookie sheets (often!), I think of Sharon."
The very active retiree Glazer, who stays busy zipping around New Orleans, was gifted a "snazzy" bike upon her retirement. She said "an electric bike is great" too, especially for people who have "mobility issues and arthritis." While you're at it, she added, "how about a helmet, bike shorts, a certificate for a tune up."
"But the best gift is sharing time," Glazer added. Well, it's impossible not to share time with this Schwinn Twinn! A five-star reviewer wrote, "My husband and I wanted a tandem to ride with our grandchildren and for great exercise. ... This bike is great for older people who just want to cruise around or daily rides for great couples exercise."
Another way to share time: A riveting game of chess. This handmade board will wow them. It's too glorious to stow away and too irresistible to not play everyday.
"Do they love tennis? A new racket is great," Glazer said. And Wilson is THE place to nab a racket, with solid choices for all levels and playing styles. The Hyper Hammer is a safe choice for any non-pro, but an even better bet might be a gift card so they can choose their own. Who knows, they might use it to become a pickleball player or golfer instead.
"Music lessons, a musical instrument," Gilbert suggested. We're on-board with that. An acoustic guitar is a great choice because not only will it sound lovely on it's own (even when they make mistakes) but it pairs well with other instruments and will inspire countless campfire singalongs.
"Retirement should be fun!" said retired financial systems analyst Diana Joaquin, who suggested tickets to a concert. Ticketmaster will let them search by category, date and distance to find the events they most want to attend.
If you and your workmate kicked back with an amber bev every Friday after work, you can keep the tradition going. Toast them from afar with this fun little whiskey-making kit — or maybe even get invited over to continue the tradition. Shoppers have given it a five-star rating. One raved, "The look on his face told me this was a great choice! A unique kit that allows him to experiment! Looking forward to making and testing his creations!"
If coffee is more their cup of tea, send this subscription box from Seattle brand Bean Box, started by two coffee lovers. In addition to treating your retired loved one to daily brew, you'll be supporting independent roasters in Seattle and across the country.
Author Gilbert told Yahoo Life, "If they're a reader, buy them a book that will help them plan for their retirement — not just the financial side, but (as importantly) the 'softer side' as well." Gilbert, who told us he's "happily retired and enjoying life," also wrote in his award-winning blog that the book is "a labor of love for me and captures everything I learned as I planned for, transitioned into and lived my life."
Fritz, who's read every retirement book worth reading, said in his blog, "This book inspired my dedication to exercise in retirement more than anything else I’ve ever read in my life." Helpful retirement titles like these paired with a couple of the best books of the year would make a fine gift, indeed!
All that reading will tucker anyone out. This is the perfect accompaniment to any book gift. A shopper with the handle "Grammy" gave it five stars and wrote: "I use it daily and I read about a book a week!"
Maybe they want to write their own damn book. There are Masterclass classes led by greats like Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oats and N.K. Jemisin (remember that 2-for-1 membership we mentioned above?), but it all really starts with a good ideas journal. A beautiful journal like this will certainly stir up their desire to write. (Also available in a larger 6x8 size on sale for $28).
Another excellent way to motivate — a fitness smartwatch! The Sense 2 does it all, and it's $100 off right now. It will show them not only will it show them how many steps they took on that mountain hike but also how happy it made their heart.
If they haven't had time to connect to their roots, help them — for their own knowledge and for future generations. Miller, our retired epidemiologist Miller shared: "This year I've been working on going through diaries kept by my great grandfather...from the early 1860s until the early 1900s. I also have a collection of World War I letters from soldiers stationed in Europe to my grandparents. ... Riveting!" For those who don't have such treasures, there's still family information out there — and it's hiding right there in their DNA.
Speaking of roots... Finally, a moment to garden! They can pass on those dusty, rusty old tools they haven't used in years and find inspiration with this nice new set of tools.
The combo of laughter plus coloring equals joy and ultimate relaxation. The Retirement Coloring Book offers both. A five-star reviewer wrote, "This is super cute. Got it for my boss who was retiring and she laughed at every page. Great fun gift!"
Class it up by adding on some high-quality Prismacolor colored pencils (now over 60% off).
Don't overlook the obvious: "Gift Certificates," Glazer said. "Retirees are on a fixed income, the stock market has not been kind. Gift certificates rule."
This Amazon e-card lets you upload a vid or image, or you can always present a card in a box.
We’ve got your holiday shopping list covered with fantastic gift ideas for everyone on your list. You’ll find expert picks on the best tech gifts on Engadget, the best gift ideas for car lovers at Autoblog, gifts for the young (and young at heart) at In the Know, and picks for just about everyone else on your list (moms, dads, teens, nurses, you name it!) in Yahoo’s holiday gift ideas section. On AOL, you'll find for gift ideas for seniors shopping for moms, dads, teens and toddlers.
