Traditionally a gold watch was given to prized employees retiring after 30 years, though long service medals and other gifts were often given depending on the nature of the job or the type of work carried out.

If you’re planning a party for a work colleague, a novel idea is to give a countdown clock which runs backwards for 6 months until the last day of work, ideal for someone whose retirement can’t arrive too soon!

These days the whole emphasis of working life is much more temporary than ever before in history, with few people expecting to stay in the same employment for 30 months, let alone 30 years!

If you, or someone you know, have been lucky enough to keep the same job right up to retirement age then they certainly deserve a fun-filled and exciting send off.

Party Themes…

To decide on a theme for your party, choose something relevant to the retiree, for example a favourite hobby, a work related topic, their favourite musical era or the place they’re retiring to, especially if this is abroad.

A popular theme is to dress up and hire a live band to suit the era when the retiree started work. For the 50’s choose a rock n roll band or Elvis Tribute singer for the 60’s go with a Beatles tribute band, for the 70’s how about a 70’s party tribute act? The options are endless.

We also have a great range of lookalike artists so why not surprise the retiree with a visit from their favourite celebrity or sports star?

Decorate to suit the theme…

You should dress the entire venue with memorabilia, ‘Happy Retirement’ banners and party decorations which follow the theme in seamless detail. Lots of companies supply party props and ‘scene setters’.

If you choose a golf theme for example then decorate the room as a golf course, with elaborate sand pits, flags, golf ball name settings and card board cut outs of famous golfers. Everyone should arrive in outrageous golfing trousers and pringle jumpers, and if your venue is a golf club why not include half an hour on the driving range before dinner?

This is your life!

A great idea for a surprise retirement party is to hold your own version of the TV show ‘This is your life’.

Friends, family and colleagues will love collecting stories, photos and tales of long-forgotten, and often best forgotten antics from the workplace or otherwise. Try and get in touch with old colleagues or long lost friends and invite them along in secret, introducing them at the perfect moment for an emotional reunion.

A confident younger relative or the retiree’s manager should compére the event. Buy a ‘big red book’ as an album for the collection and present it to the retiree at the end of the night.