A retirement party is an event that mirrors and crowns a retiree's career. Not only should it be an occasion where colleagues can show their respect for them, but it should also be a time to say goodbye to retirees in a positive and fun way. If possible, it would be more appropriate to celebrate such a farewell without wasting too much money, but leaving a lasting and happy memory in the birthday boy. To make sure it is an enjoyable event for everyone, the most important aspect of all the preparation is to design a party that takes into account the retiree's personality.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Getting Ready to Throw the Party
Step 1. Get help from retiree friends, family and colleagues
The more collaboration you can get to organize the party, the less stress you will be, which is very likely if you were forced to study everything on your own. Family and friends can offer you a different perspective on the person retiring from that of their colleagues, so if you can, try to include them in the organization. In particular, do not neglect the figure of the partner (if he has one) in the preparation of the party.
First, try to figure out if those who retire would like to be celebrated. If you don't know him well, try talking to a family member or colleague he or she has a closer relationship with. Not everyone appreciates parties with great pomp and, in these cases, a more appropriate farewell gift could be a dinner at a restaurant to be spent in peace with a partner or a friend
Step 2. Establish a budget for the retirement party
It will allow you to keep your expenses under control and avoid going bankrupt to organize the event. You will have to consider if you need to pay the rent of a venue and surely you will need to include a gift for the birthday boy.
- Set a budget and stick to it. Once you have established this, you can present it to the employee responsible for managing company resources (or the committee that deals with the money for events that take place outside the workplace), to find out if these funds are available. to cover expenses.
- You will probably have to raise money from colleagues for the event. The figure may vary, but the required fee must be reasonable for each of them. You can also let them know that if they want they can offer a larger sum to pay for the party.
Step 3. Create a list to write down your "party priorities"
It can be helpful if financial difficulties force you to make choices. For example, if you work in a large company, you may decide to invite more people, so in this case you have the option to book a venue at a cheaper price. On the other hand, if you prefer to organize an elegant dinner in a restaurant, you could invite a small group of colleagues and friends.
There is no right or wrong way to prioritize a retirement party. The list will largely depend on the size of the company and the general atmosphere in the office, as well as the personality and work and interpersonal relationships of the retiree
Part 2 of 5: Review the Party Essentials
Step 1. Create a guest list
The list should include all the most important people in the life of the retiring employee. In addition to your spouse or partner, don't forget to invite the children. Try to consult with those who have a closer relationship with them to help you not omit the people who matter most from the list.
In addition to family and friends, try not to forget even the most important people who belong to the work context. It is better not to create an uncomfortable situation among colleagues, making a selection that leads you to consider some and exclude others. If the lack of money forces you to make this choice, you should explain it to those who are not invited. To avoid hurting people's susceptibility, you could say: "Due to financial difficulties we have chosen to invite only colleagues who have worked with Claudio for more than five years"
Step 2. Choose the venue for the event
It can be a simple meeting place, like the company conference room, but also something more personal like a colleague's house, a larger space like the parish hall or another public space, or smaller like a restaurant. It depends to a large extent on the financial resources and the "priorities of the party" (especially on the number of people you want to invite and the choice of dishes).
Consider renting a reserved space so that guests can chat comfortably and take part in the activities organized for the festivities. For example, if you decide to have the party in a restaurant, ask if there is a separate room available to occupy in the afternoon or evening
Step 3. Send out the invitations
The invitation should include information about the birthday party, whether it is a surprise party, where it will take place, what type of food will be served, how long it will last, some suggestions on gifts, if a theme or a theme has been established. special clothing, if you can park comfortably or it is better to reach the place by public transport (or organize yourself with a group car). You can find some ideas on the Internet for writing a suitable retirement party invitation - a simple Google search will help you broaden your alternatives.
If a colleague has artistic skills or good handwriting, you may want to design and produce the invitations manually. This way you have the opportunity to save money and spend it later to take care of other aspects of the party
Step 4. Buy a gift
Choose something that is appropriate and that reflects the personality of the birthday boy. Whether it's an object, a ticket to attend an event, a voucher at one of your favorite shops or a paid dinner at a restaurant or another original idea, to organize a retirement party it is important to choose the gift wisely. as it will be the symbol of all his professional career.
- If you are organizing a themed party, don't forget this when you go to buy the gift. For example, if the retiree plans to travel once their career is over, opt for a set of custom suitcases.
- Maybe you want to include a photo album inside the gift (or something personal that reminds you of certain moments of your career in the company). Therefore, choose photographs that portray the birthday boy with his colleagues over the years, attaching dedications written by collaborators and superiors. You can combine it all within a "scrapbook".
- If you want to be original, consider donating the gift money to one of the retiree's favorite charities. Try writing directly on the invitation the amount that everyone thinks is most appropriate to donate to a particular charity.
Part 3 of 5: Decide on the Party Details
Step 1. Choose a theme for your retirement party
Choose something that highlights the interests of the retired person. You could opt for a single theme (travel, a sport, an outdoor activity, cars, and so on) or select various interests of the guest of honor to enhance different aspects of their life. Alternatively, you can choose one of the themes that are most used to celebrate a retired person.
Popular retirement party theme suggestions include "the year of hiring" (which includes clothing, music, TV shows, movies, games, and the most important events related to year in which the birthday boy was hired), "mourning in the company" (in which guests are asked to dress in black and "offer condolences" for the loss of an important employee) and the famous "perpetual holidays" (in to recreate the setting of a beach or organize a Hawaiian party complete with dress rules that include Hawaiian shirts and tropical drinks)
Step 2. Establish a fun schedule that honors the retired employee
Even if you don't want to organize everything too rigidly, consider dedicating part of the party to speeches or games. In this case, it would be helpful to create a schedule to inform guests about how the celebrations will proceed. Print it on card stock, adding a few photos of the guest of honor to make it more personalized.
Think about how the event should take place. If you have opted for a dinner, it would be better to intersperse it with short speeches or songs in honor of the birthday boy or you could decide to concentrate the interventions of people in the first part of the evening, so that everyone can relax for the rest of the celebrations
Step 3. Choose a self-confident person who can present or lead the evening
He should be in charge of conducting the celebrations on schedule. Her responsibilities include: announcing when it's time to eat, encouraging guests to take part in planned activities, and presenting speeches from various people. Consider renting or borrowing a microphone for the presenter, although this choice largely depends on the venue and other aspects of the party.
Step 4. Plan your photo or video shoot
If it's within your budget and the retiree's location allows, hire a professional photographer to capture the best moments of the evening. Alternatively, you can assign a guest (preferably another colleague) to take pictures and shoot a video. In the years to come this material will become a fond memory of this event for the birthday boy. Also make sure that he has the opportunity to view the photos once the celebrations are over!
Part 4 of 5: Choosing the Meals
Step 1. Organize an event where everyone brings something to eat
If you choose to hold the party in a place that does not offer catering, perhaps it would be better for everyone to bring a dish and feel free to eat whatever they want. It can be a great choice if you don't have enough money to cover food-related expenses.
Make a list so that everyone can see what each guest will prepare. Try to draw various columns (in which to insert the appetizers, main courses, side dishes and desserts), so as not to run the risk of having twelve courses of lasagna. You can also offer suggestions and invite guests to sign a kind of petition with which to request certain dishes
Step 2. Hire a catering service
It will allow you to hold the party in any place you want.
- Call several restaurateurs who offer catering services to see if they need a minimum number of guests or to find out how much the costs are. It is best to make sure you are within your budget when planning dinner.
- Study the alternatives for the menu and make sure there are dishes that meet the taste of the guests. It is preferable to include vegetarian dishes and foods for celiacs. Ask your guests to inform you of any particularly serious food allergies or intolerances in order to keep them in mind when choosing the menu.
- Take a round of phone calls to find a reasonably priced restaurateur. It is always useful to receive several quotes before choosing the catering service. In this way you will be able to respect the budget you have available.
Step 3. Establish a "fixed menu" at a restaurant
If you have decided to hold your retirement party in a restaurant, you may want to choose a "set menu". By doing so, you have the possibility to insert some favorite dishes of the birthday boy and offer the guests a certain choice. Plus, you'll be able to stay within your budget.
Ask the restaurant if it is possible to temporarily rename the dishes chosen in honor of the retiring person. For example, a "hummus for Mario's retirement" or "Anna's pasta and beans" is a creative and original way to pay homage to the birthday boy. If you can, match the choice of names to the theme of the evening
Part 5 of 5: Schedule Party Activities
Step 1. Get the retiree to be teased affectionately
It can be a great way to create an atmosphere of hilarity around the birthday boy. Ask everyone in attendance to write something about the guest of honor based on a particular suggestion given by the party host. Invite anyone who wants to speak one at a time, and if the venue is quite large, make sure they have a microphone.
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Give some original information cut out on the retiree's figure or try one of these:
- "An embarrassing moment I experienced with Marco was when …".
- "What, in my opinion, I would never say to Marco is…".
- "The funniest moment I ever lived with Marco was when…".
- "The moment in which I was most impressed by Marco was when …".
Host a Murder Mystery Party Step 5 Step 2. Propose a quiz with questions about the birthday boy's professional career
Invent a unique game based on the guest of honor's working life. You should look at his entire history (including his first job, his first boss, etc.) and make others guess the correct answers (multiple choice questions are best asked). The person who scores the most points wins a prize.
Join the Tea Party Step 7 Step 3. Offer a toast in honor of the pensioner
Ask his supervisor to give a short thank you speech for his work and show any regret that he will no longer be among his employees. It should be a solemn moment, but a positive one at the same time. It is not an opportunity to make jokes, but to express esteem and appreciation for having worked hard in the company.
Other guests can also add something about it. You can leave the microphone open and give people the opportunity to stand up and say what they want, or when they confirm their presence at the party, ask if they would like to speak with a short speech
Organize a Gig Step 42 Step 4. Include other forms of entertainment that are original and appropriate to the situation
Entertainment should be based on the tastes of the birthday boy. You can ask colleagues to sing a farewell song or draw a caricature of the guest of honor. The most important aspect is to personalize the activities to be included in the party based on the character and history of the person who retires, so that they realize how special they have been for the company.
