I think a nice card is enough, and very thoughtful.

Maybe a book or a magazine subscription about something you know that interests her/him...something that they might have more time to do now that they are retired? Gardening, travel, cooking, woodworking. Most people at retirement age don't want any more "stuff."

Or you could give consumables for one of those lazy, kick back, "I don't have to go to work today" days...bon-bons, gourmet coffee or tea, biscuits/cookies, etc. and a good paperback book.

A nice card is perfect sufficient, unless it's someone who is very close to you and you want to do more. Most retirement gifts are from co-workers.

But a card is just fine, too.

Oops, I read WHAT does one give! I agree that a "congratulations" is probably plenty and a card is always appreciated by most people.

It's always nice to give a gift! Is there a party you are invited to? if so, I would be sure to take a gift. If there's no party.....a card....or....?
But it's always nice to give a gift.....even for no occasion.
Linda C

I'm retired and I'm no help, LOL. I got a "Don't let the door hit you on the way out" from my boss, a $25 gift certificate to Chuck E Cheese from the office staff so I could go play with the grandkids and a set of "redneck wine glasses" as a joke, two canning jars glued to candlesticks.

I also think a card is sufficient, and don't think anyone would expect otherwise, barring some kind of big family party, in which case I'd ask everyone else what they were doing.

LindaC is right, a small gift is always nice, but it certainly isn't expected or traditional, at least not to my knowledge. If you do get a gift, does the person have any hobbies? You could get them supplies, now they have all that time on their hands, LOL.

Annie

LOL, Annie! I had the same "door on the butt" experience. I got a nice severance package, though.

We had parties at work for people who were retiring or going on to another job. It was usually after work and everyone paid for their own drinks and chipped in for munchies and a gift. The value of the gift seemed to be based on how well you were liked.

No parties for the door-on-the-butt people. That kind of pissed me off because I had chipped in hundreds over the years for everyone else's gifts and parties. Even a card would have been nice!

Dedtired, I retired because the boss made my working life miserable, but he couldn't fire me. He's a politician in a small community and he really wants to get re-elected, that would be very bad press. No severance because I decided to retire, I wasn't required and the county doesn't have severance packages anyway, never have had. The boss was happy to see me gone, though, and I was happy to be gone.

We didn't have a party because I specifically forbade it. Frankly, most of the people I'd worked with a long time had already retired before me, there were only a handful of people left with longer than 3 or 4 years of county employment. Neither the pay nor the benefits are anything comparable to the private sector, so employees usually work a couple of years, get some experience and then move on. The benefits used to be really good, but have eroded steadily, so experienced workers left, to be replaced by children. When I first filed my papers the very young Administration clerk called and said "I know it was a long time ago, but do you remember when you started working here?". My response was "Yes. Yes, I do, but you don't because you weren't born yet". She lasted 8 months, incidentally, then got a better paying job. It was something about listening to people complain every day about over paidgovernment employees while getting paid $9 an hour with no retirement package, LOL.

So anyway, no party, no gifts and no good-byes. A cake would have been from a mix anyway, I guarantee it. Fortunately, I was one of the "old" people who started working there in another lifetime while there was still a pension plan.

Annie

This was great advice and that's what everyone did. Just cards. But since she is family, we gave her a giftcard to Cheesecake Factory. She can't decide what she'll do. She has a surgery she's been putting off. They want to travel. He's ready for another animal, and they're doing their darndest to decide cat or dog. It was fun seeing her overwhelmed with loads of good choices. And the entire Nashville teaching community was there. I saw teachers from elementary and middle school there, and I graduated high school 27 years ago! She's was Director of a daycare, but most of her teachers went on to other places. It was great.

I appreciate the advice, I felt more sure of myself when I walked in 'cause of y'all. Y'all are the best!