Retirement parties

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

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?

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

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.

software · ‎06-08-2016

@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?

QVCkitty1 · ‎05-23-2015

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.

" You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
Daniel Patrick Moynihan

itsmagic · ‎08-08-2011

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.

Gardengal55 · ‎01-05-2011

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.

SoX · ‎03-15-2010

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.

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

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.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

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.

SoX · ‎03-15-2010

@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?