30 Thoughtful Retirement Gifts
Updated: Apr. 15, 2024
Celebrate a retiree's next chapter with retirement gifts they'll actually love and use.
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Entering retirement can be a bittersweet period in one’s life. And it’s worthy of a spectacular celebration that honors a retiree’s accomplishments and impact. While shopping for retirement gifts, you can take a few different routes. Like any special occasion, sending sweet deliveries like flowers or cookies are always welcome gifts—bonus points if they arrive with “congratulations” written all over them. You can also lean more personal, choosing a gift that celebrates this next life stage by leaning into specific goals and desires.
“When choosing a retirement gift, consider the retiree’s interests, hobbies and personality. Also, think about gifts that symbolize celebration and well-deserved relaxation,” advises Natalie Keohane, Growth Manager at Baskits. “Consider any special milestones or achievements the retiree has reached in their career and highlight them with a thoughtful card message to go along with your gift to add a personalized touch,” she says. “When sending gifts with gourmet items or baked goods, be sure to consider the retiree’s preferences or dietary restrictions.”
Going the hobby route? Opt for a high-quality gadget or tool that helps them take their passion for grilling, gardening, traveling—you name it—to the next level.
To get you started, we rounded up thoughtful retirement gifts they can enjoy well into their next chapter. From care packages to entertaining finds, here are our editor’s favorite picks for the occasion.
For the Co-worker
Happy Retirement Gift Box
If retirement had a theme, it’d be peace and relaxation. This Happy Retirement gift box offers exactly that thanks to fun goodies like candles, bath bombs and a wine tumbler. Choose from nine relaxing retirement gift options with a specific theme and color palette. As one of the best retirement gifts, it’s topped with a card fit for the occasion.
For the Golfer
Retirement Golf Balls
Fore! Retirement means more time to spend on the green. Celebrate a retiree’s milestone in full swing with this golf ball set. These retirement gifts boast a celebratory engraving and it’s such a fun gift option to help a golf lover tee off retirement.
For the Caffeine Fiend
Coffee Subscription
Looking for retirement gifts for a coffee lover? Look no further than a coffee subscription box. Atlas Coffee Club hand-selects coffee options from all over the world. Your retiree will receive a new and unique coffee from a different country each month. Trust us, we tried Atlas Coffee Club and it’s the best way to experiment with new blends.
For the Classic
Flower Bouquet
Want to send your well wishes in a simple yet thoughtful way? You can never go wrong with a beautiful flower bouquet for retirement gifts. It’s bright, and cheerful—and sends good vibes their way whether you’re celebrating near or far. Keep the party going for months with a flower subscription.
For the Homebody
Stylish Weighted Blanket
Retirement gifts that help them relax? Check! It’s official, this is the best-looking weighted blanket on the market. Available in four different shades, this weighted blanket is breathable, textured cotton, so even though it’s heavy, it’s still perfect for hot sleepers! And it’s beautiful enough for them to proudly keep on the couch, so they’ll relax even deeper the next time they settle in for a Netflix binge or curl up with a good book. Psst! Read about our other favorite blankets.
For the Health Nut
Kombucha Making Kit
If they’re looking for a new brewing hobby that doesn’t involve collecting cocktail kits, consider snagging them the Farm Steady Kombucha Making Kit. This all-inclusive kit has everything needed to start brewing batches of booch. It comes with a SCOBY, a half-gallon fermentation jar, premium green tea and a few other must-haves for the discerning drinker.
For the Reader
Blind Date with a Book
Calling all readers! Retirement is the best time to brush up on their favorite novels, so snag them a subscription to Blind Date with a Book. This gift of the month club ships a new duo of surprise books every month, along with snacks and bookmarks. Just choose their favorite genre and let the experts find their new favorite read. It’s one of the best retirement gifts for someone who wants to spend more time with the written word but doesn’t know where to begin.
For the Budding Baker
Baking Subscription Box
Retirement is the perfect excuse to try new skills, and a baking subscription box is the best way to learn how to bake! The editor-tested Bake Eat Love box is at the top of our list of the best baking boxes. Each monthly box arrives with all the dry ingredients necessary to create seriously tasty bakes. Just bring the perishable ingredients and whip up delicious desserts like Bananas Foster sticky buns. Yum!
For the Picky Retiree
Sugarwish Gift
Not quite sure which of these retirement gifts to buy the soon-to-be retiree? Sugarwish is a service that allows the recipient to pick their own gifts from a multitude of options, including coffee, candy, cookies, cocktail mixers, wine and more. Just enter their email and pick the categories and number of items. Sugarwish prompts them to choose their own, ensuring that they’ll always enjoy their thoughtful noms! Want to know more? Read our review of the service to see what we thought of each gifting category!
For the Breakfast Club
Brunch Gift Box
Is there a better way to celebrate no more early mornings than with a brunch spread? This breakfast gift box brims with everything that makes for a fancy feasting experience: super-thick English muffins, butter and maple-flavored syrup, heart-shaped waffles, cinnamon swirl bread, blueberry loaf cake and preservatives and a bag of gourmet ground coffee.
For the Far Away Loved One
Fruit Bouquet
Send sunshine via snail mail with a cheerful fruit bouquet. Whether the retiree lives across the country or a few hours away (or maybe you just want to deliver a thoughtful gift to their doorstep), this food gift is packed with smiling pineapple flowers and chocolate-dipped strawberries. The hardest part is hiding it from hungry family members!
For the Comedian
Funny Candle
This funny yet thoughtful candle will make a newly retired loved one giggle. Whether they’re near or far, it’s a sweet way to show a loved one you’re proud of them. Pair with a practical candle accessory, like this candle warmer lamp.
For the Snacker
Celebration Gift Basket
Retirement is a good occasion as any to send a celebration gift basket. Packed with artisan meats, cheeses, crackers and sweets, the box is complete with congratulations-themed packaging to shower them in love. Check out more gift baskets to send to loved ones.
For the Traveler
Weekender Bag
Inspire the retiree who loves to travel with a tricked-out duffel bag that makes embarking on any adventure oh-so seamless. Yes, the leather accents and personalizations make this a high-quality gift, but it’s the innovative design that will impress them. With individual slots for shoes and accessories and a garment bag for clothes, it folds up easily for the most organized trip ever. They’re guaranteed to get more out of traveling thanks to this smart duffel bag.
For the Camping Enthusiast
Coloring Map Mug
Help them map out (literally!) their next adventure over morning coffee. This National Parks mug is a fun and interactive retirement gift for those hoping to explore more now that they’re out of the office.
For the Gardener
Harvest Basket
More time on their hands means more time to enjoy the hobbies they love, and we can’t think of a better gift for the avid gardener than their very own harvest basket. Made of sturdy pine wood that’s been treated to withstand the elements, it holds all the best fruits and veggies.
For the Charcuterie Connoisseur
Golf Cheese Board
Retirement gifts that combine their love of golf and charcuterie? Say no more. It truly doesn’t get cuter than this personalized golf cheese board set. Complete with knives and a removable flag pole, they’ll love pulling it out for happy hours and dinner parties with friends. Now that’s a hole-in-one gift.
For the Home Cook
Canvas and Leather Apron
A well-built apron is essential whether he’s an avid home cook or a griller at heart. Two front pockets keep tools like a meat thermometer, cooking utensils or their phone nearby without getting in the way while the leather details make the home cook feel like a total professional. Plus, you can add a personalization to the front for an extra thoughtful retirement gift.
For the One in Need of a New Hobby
Home Brewing Kit
Retirement is the perfect time to discover a new hobby. Gift them a kit to start brewing, kicking off with the popular West Coast-style IPA. This brewing kit includes everything your recipient will need to brew 10 bottles of beer at home.
For the Writer
Treasured Travel Journal
For many, retirement means more time to travel. Give your retiree a beautiful spot to jot down travel plans, memories and more with a custom leather journal to use and cherish for years to come.
For the Sweet Tooth
Celebratory Chocolates
Celebrate your retiree’s free time with treats. This sweet package from Seattle Chocolate includes a variety of delicious truffles in eight different flavors, complete with sweet packaging to honor the beginning of a new chapter. These care packages also make sweet retirement gifts.
For the One with Wanderlust
Dream Destinations Poster
Give a gift to celebrate their sense of wanderlust. This scratch-off poster lists 50 of the dreamiest destinations to travel to in the U.S. This will surely make the perfect bucket list for retirement travelers.
For the Old-Fashioned
Personalized Crossword Puzzle
There’s no better way to start the morning than with their very own crossword puzzle. You’ll create six clues based on their life, which will be mixed into the puzzle. Pro tip: Throw in some real brain teasers for an extra fun gift.
For the Backyard BBQer
Grill Masters Club
It’s time for more grilling! This BBQ box set sends spices, rubs, sauces, grilling accessories and even unique wood chips to the pit master in your life. This is a great way for them to try new things while working the grill. You can’t go wrong with these grilling gifts, either.
For the Kid at Heart
Congratulations Ice Cream
Send the sweetest congrats with these celebratory pints. The retiree in your life will indulge in chocolate turtle sundae, cherry chocolate chunk, peanut butter cup and butter brickle ice creams. Yum!
For the Lifetime Learner
MasterClass Subscription
Just because they’re retired doesn’t mean they’re finished learning. For the home cook who wants to learn new skills from Gordon Ramsay himself or the music buff who wants to learn the essentials of electric guitar, a MasterClass subscription offers something for everyone.
For the Budding Bread Baker
Challenger Bread Pan
More time spent at home means more time to brush up on their bread-making skills. Designed to bake better bread, the Challenger bread pan is the ultimate gift for bakers. The cast-iron pan offers a sealed environment to create the perfect amount of steam while baking—meaning bakers can cook in confidence. Bonus: It works with baked goods beyond bread, too.
For the One Who's Still Stressed
Calming Gift Set
This eucalyptus spa set does the trick for those with a bit of a green thumb. Your recipient will get to plant their own eucalyptus and tend to it, along with enjoying the kit’s bath salts and body scrub for ultimate relaxation. It’s the perfect spa gift for some well-deserved R&R.
For the Spirits Lover
Personalized Decanter Set
Whether they prefer whiskey on the rocks or in a mixed drink, a personalized decanter set makes a fun gift for retirees who are always mixing and experimenting. This retirement gift comes with two whiskey glasses and a glass decanter carefully wrapped inside a wooden box.
Tea Brewer
Tea Drinker's Gift Set
For the tea lover, this gift set has it all. It features a large assortment of unique teas to taste and enjoy. Over time, your recipient will certainly be able to find a new favorite.
Additional research was contributed by Taste of Home writer, Molly Allen.
For this piece, we spoke to the gifting experts at Baskits, who have been perfecting gifting since 1985. Natalie Keohane is Baskits’ Growth Manager. She helps corporate customers set up gifting programs so they can always send the perfect gift to their clients, employees and prospects.
Originally Published: April 12, 2022
