topic Re: Retirement parties in Community Chat

Retirement parties

AuntG — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:01:11 GMT

I've never actually planned or attended a retirement party, other than a quick gathering in the coffee area at work. What suggestions can you give to me? Is a sit down dinner at a restaurant common, or do people generally have them at home, or maybe in a rented hall?

Re: Retirement parties

151949 — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:20:21 GMT

I've been to every type from a rented fire hall with a band to a reserved area of a race track with dinner served before the racing started. Restaurants - home parties - church halls - the beach. It just depends on how much $$$$ you want to spend and how creative you are I think.

When our minister at our Florida church retired the vestry threw him a big party at the beach.Food was provided and everyone who came was asked to contribute to pay for the food. Then there was also the gift for the minister. Of course all the labor for that one was volunteers.

I don't think retirement parties have any rules.

Re: Retirement parties

software — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:20:24 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
I've never actually planned or attended a retirement party, other than a quick gathering in the coffee area at work. What suggestions can you give to me? Is a sit down dinner at a restaurant common, or do people generally have them at home, or maybe in a rented hall?

Is this an office retirement party?

Unless it's for the President, just simple hor d'oeurves in a large meeting room or conference room should be enough. No sit down. Either during work hours -- maybe a lunch break-- or right after work.

You don't give enough information. Who is it, what are they retiring from?

Re: Retirement parties

QVCkitty1 — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:26:57 GMT

When I worked, we would usually ask the retiree if they wanted a luncheon at work or to go to a restaurant. If it was at work, it was brind a dish to pass, or catering from a local deli. The outside parties were at a restaurant and boozy. Both kinds of parties were fun, it just depends on what the honoree wants.

Re: Retirement parties

itsmagic — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:29:03 GMT

I've been to both a smaller retirement luncheon at a restaurant (which had maybe 15 people) and a larger retirement party which was held in a large office conference room with hor d'oeuvres. These were both paid for by the company.

Re: Retirement parties

Gardengal55 — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:33:49 GMT

Retirement parties are like weddings or any other festive gathering---they can be as large and extravagant or as small and intimate as one chooses. I have been to banquet halls, the local VFW, bars, parks, restaurants, homes-- you name it. Some were surprise parties some not. Some invites stated "no gifts please" and some suggested gifts of $$ to send the retiree on a trip or to help purchase a big item he or she wanted. The important thing is to do it tastefully and have fun.

Just decide how big you want the event to be. Deciding who all to invite can get sticky-- don't feel you have to invite the whole company unless it is very small. You want to invite people that worked intimately with the person on day-to-day basis, close friends and relatives and any significant people in retiree's past.

One last thing-- know your retiree-- some people do not like surprises. I went to a surprise retirement party once and the person was not happy. It was sort of embarrassing and several of us did not stay long.

Re: Retirement parties

SoX — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 13:53:05 GMT

My department retirement party was kind of a big to do ... there were five of us going out at the same time in my department alone ( early retirement incentives and benefits, called 5 Plus 5: five years added on to actual years of service; 5 years added to age). It was a virtual stampede throughout the whole hospital. There was a minimum age and years of service requirement for pension benefits.

Anyway, back to the luncheon, held in a large hall on hospital premises ... all kinds of food (catered by our food service and outside vendors) from soups to nuts. It was held from 11 a.m. until about 3:00 p.m., so that invited family and guests could come and go on their own time or respective lunch hours.

Other departments held similar parties throughout the months before their employees left.

Re: Retirement parties

GCR18 — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 14:11:25 GMT

At work, the company doesn't pay for retirement parties. Someone close to the retiree schedules a happy hour and invites people the retiree knows or invites everyone (200 people). The retirees team usually takes them out for lunch.

Re: Retirement parties

151949 — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 15:28:32 GMT

I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?

When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

Re: Retirement parties

SoX — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 15:37:56 GMT

@151949 wrote:
I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?
When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

@151949 @AuntG @software
@Since the OP hasn't yet responded to @software's question, I think we're giving her examples of the types of retirement parties we've had or been to ... that's okay, isn't it?

Re: Retirement parties

151949 — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 15:40:14 GMT

@SoX wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?
When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

@151949 @AuntG @software
@Since the OP hasn't yet responded to @software's question, I think we're giving her examples of the types of retirement parties we've had or been to ... that's okay, isn't it?

And some of us have experience that not ALL retirement parties are at work. That's OK isn't it?

Re: Retirement parties

SoX — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 15:58:15 GMT

@151949 wrote:
@SoX wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?
When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

@151949 @AuntG @software
@Since the OP hasn't yet responded to @software's question, I think we're giving her examples of the types of retirement parties we've had or been to ... that's okay, isn't it?
And some of us have experience that not ALL retirement parties are at work. That's OK isn't it?

Hey ... whatever you say, lady ... but since YOU asked that question ...

Re: Retirement parties

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 16:07:23 GMT

I've never planned a retirement party, but was the recipient of many good wishes at my own. It was held in a small banquet room at a local bar and grill. About 50 of my co-workers and friends enjoyed drinks and an Italian buffet from 7 p.m. until? Husband and I left at 9 p.m. and a few attendees were still going strong. It was a fun gathering and greatly appreciated.

Re: Retirement parties

ALRATIBA — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 16:25:28 GMT

I've been to lots of retirement dinners and luncheons when I worked in SF and in NYC ... I don't know what happens elsewhere.

It's always been at a farly nice restaurant and depending on the size of the group - maybe in a private room. We always ordered from the menu.

For the gift - we all chipped in and it usually was a gift certificate. The senior exec picked up the check for the restaurant.

Re: Retirement parties

AuntG — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 19:40:33 GMT

@software wrote:
@AuntG wrote:
I've never actually planned or attended a retirement party, other than a quick gathering in the coffee area at work. What suggestions can you give to me? Is a sit down dinner at a restaurant common, or do people generally have them at home, or maybe in a rented hall?

Is this an office retirement party?
Unless it's for the President, just simple hor d'oeurves in a large meeting room or conference room should be enough. No sit down. Either during work hours -- maybe a lunch break-- or right after work.

You don't give enough information. Who is it, what are they retiring from?

----------

Sorry, sometimes I think I get too wordy so I kept it brief. My DH has picked a retirement date which is still pretty far in the future and I was thinking of throwing him a party.

Re: Retirement parties

ccassaday — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 19:54:19 GMT

We had my dads at my sisters. Just family and a couple of people he worked with. Had hotdogs and chicken wings. Typical cook out food. And had a couple of cakes. It was a good day. Work took him and my mom out to dinner about a week before.

Re: Retirement parties

software — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 21:49:10 GMT

@151949 wrote:
@SoX wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?
When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

@151949 @AuntG @software
@Since the OP hasn't yet responded to @software's question, I think we're giving her examples of the types of retirement parties we've had or been to ... that's okay, isn't it?
And some of us have experience that not ALL retirement parties are at work. That's OK isn't it?

I know I will regret asking this but what else do people retire from??

Re: Retirement parties

Kachina624 — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 02:23:45 GMT

Typically at my office, everyone who wanted to go took the honoree out to lunch and the group chipped in to pay for his/her lunch.

Re: Retirement parties

qbetzforreal — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 02:36:52 GMT

@software wrote:
@151949 wrote:
@SoX wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?
When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

@151949 @AuntG @software
@Since the OP hasn't yet responded to @software's question, I think we're giving her examples of the types of retirement parties we've had or been to ... that's okay, isn't it?
And some of us have experience that not ALL retirement parties are at work. That's OK isn't it?
I know I will regret asking this but what else do people retire from??

Lol- I guess one could retire from life. That would be a different type "retirement" party

Re: Retirement parties

151949 — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 02:44:40 GMT

@software wrote:
@151949 wrote:
@SoX wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I didn't know this was an office retirement party. I don't think the OP said that did she?
When my DH retired I had a party for him at our house. When we moved to be retired in Florida our neighbors had a block party for us .They gave us a huge inflated flamingo.

@151949 @AuntG @software
@Since the OP hasn't yet responded to @software's question, I think we're giving her examples of the types of retirement parties we've had or been to ... that's okay, isn't it?
And some of us have experience that not ALL retirement parties are at work. That's OK isn't it?
I know I will regret asking this but what else do people retire from??

Seriously - you can't understand that family or friends may give someone a retirement celebration? SMH.