You’re looking for a unique retirement gift for a retiree in your life. Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve researched many hours to find the most unique retirement gifts out there.
I’ve listed 42 very unique retirement gifts in this article, to help you find the most perfect retirement gift for the retiree. So, continue reading and pick out your retirement gift.
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1) Hand-Painted Portrait – My #1 Pick
When you really are looking for a unique retirement gift that will bring the retiree to tears. Then a hand-made painting from Paint Your Life is your best pick. It’s also my #1 pick for a unique retirement gift because retirement is a life celebration and what better way to celebrate someone’s life is to gift a piece of art from a memorable moment in their life. At Paint Your Life professional artists will create a painting from a photo of your choice. This can be a photo of them during one of his or her favorite holidays, one together with their spouse, the dog/ cat or other favorite pet, old wedding picture, family group photo, all the grandchildren together, or any other photo that is close to the retiree’s heart.
You get to choose the artist, have unlimited revisions, and 100% of your money back if you are not happy with the end result. Check out what Paint Your Life has to offer here.
2) MasterClass From World’s Greatest
Another unique retirement gift out there is the gift of Masterclass. The masterClass platform is a streaming platform that makes it possible for anyone to watch or listen to hundreds of video lessons taught by the most successful and famous teachers in the world.
A Masterclass course is a unique retirement gift that gives the retiree the opportunity to get online lessons from the world’s greatest. Examples of Masterclasses from the world’s renowned teachers are:
- Aaron Franklin teaches Texas Style BBQ,
- Alice Waters teaches the Art of Home Cooking,
- Samuel L. Jackson teaches Acting,
- Serena Williams teaches Tennis.
There are over 85 different classes available! New classes are added on a regular basis.
This unique retirement gift will give the retiree inspiring and new experiences that will make his or her retired life far more enjoyable. Because having something fun to do and learning new skills is the key to happiness in retirement. Give the Annual Membership For MasterClass as a retirement gift.
3) Personalized Engraved Desk Clock
One of the most classic retirement gifts is to gift a clock to the retiree. This Personalized Engraved Desk Clock is a unique retirement gift to give. The clock is easy to personalize with 3 lines, each up to 20 characters. You can choose from designs. It has an analog display, and with a palace-like design, it’s both versatile and attractive. A unique retirement gift with a personal touch!
4) Dom Perignon Champagne Gift Basket
Dom Perignon Greetings – Wine Gift Basket
Retirement is a life-celebration that calls for champagne. And you can give the retiree a Champagne Gift Basket with the most unique and World’s best vintage champagne: Dom Perignon. He or she can enjoy and celebrate their first retirement days in a very unique and delicious way.
Dom Perignon is one of the most recognized Champagne brands of all time. It is produced by Moët & Chandon, one of the World’s largest champagne producers and a prominent champagne house. It’s aged for a minimum of 7 years, and each bottling of Dom Pérignon contains grapes only from a single year. That is the reason why this champagne is so unique compared to many others.
A wine or champagne-loving retiree will love to get this Dom Perignon Gift Basket as a retirement gift. And because it’s unique, it’s not a cheap retirement gift. So, depending on your budget, you can decide to either give it yourself or give it collectively with others.
5) Personalized Appreciation Award
This personalized appreciation award is a unique retirement gift. You can easily customize the award with an engraved personal message, a logo, or the company name. There is enough space to add two messages and a logo for personalization.
This award is a beautiful keepsake that the retiree can cherish forever.
6) Retirement Book “50 States, 5000 Ideas”
This unique travel book from the travel experts from National Geographic is for years on the best selling list on Amazon. It includes the best travel experiences throughout the United States. The obvious highlights, but also the unexpected things to see and do in every state. This unique travel book also includes information on Canadian provinces.
When you know that the retiree plans to travel around, this book is the perfect retirement gift!
7) Artisan Wine Gift Box
There is no better way to start retirement than with a good bottle of wine. So gifting a bottle of wine is always a good idea. Still, the Signature Series Wine Gift Box from the California Wine Club filled with hand-crafted and award-winning wines from California is even better as a unique retirement gift. Especially for a real wine lover!
With a Wine Gift Box from the California Wine Club, the retiree gets to enjoy the adventure of discovering wines from California’s best small wineries.
Get the Premier Series Wines, handcrafted wines specifically selected for this gift box series, as a retirement gift.
8) “I’m Retired” Coffee Mug
A funny gift is always a great idea to give to the retiree. This retirement coffee mug is a pleasure to get. It has the text ‘I don’t want to, I don’t have to, You can’t make me, I’m Retired.’
When the retiree is a coffee or tea lover this mug will become the perfect retirement gift! You can also give it in a set of 2 mugs so that the retiree can enjoy the morning coffee with their spouse.
9) Artisan Coffee Gift Box
A coffee lover will love getting a Coffee Gift Box as a retirement gift. Because enjoying a gourmet cup of coffee without having to rush to work is the ultimate retired feeling. It’s a unique feeling that you can give the retiree with this World Tour Coffee Gift Box from BeanBox. They have great coffee subscriptions and gifts from the World’s Best Artisan Roasters.
This Coffee of The World Gift Box contains 16 artisan coffee samples. From Latin American coffees, Sumatran Brands, Fruit Forward African Roasts, and everything in between. The bean box comes with tasting notes and brewing tips. You can easily add a personal message for a unique personal touch! Get the Coffee Gift Box as a retirement gift.
10) Personalized Wine Cork Display Shadow Box
Retirement is all about enjoying special moments. When there’s a special occasion, it’s always time for quality wine. But how often do we forget which wines we had during that one special moment? So why not save the wine corks?
This wine cork display box is a unique retirement gift for the retiree. You allow the retiree to save to corks and easily remember each special moments when they had a quality wine. At a personal message for the extra personal touch!
11) Personalized Bamboo Cutting Board
This bamboo cutting board with round edges is a unique retirement gift when you know that the retiree loves to stay busy in the kitchen.
Cutting vegetables, fruit, meat or herbs is getting more fun when you can do this on your own personalized cutting board. When you give this to the retiree as a retirement gift, you can choose from different designs to personalize your message.
12) Bonsai Starter Kit
Sometimes it doesn’t get any more unique than a Bonsai Tree. And giving a Bonsai Starter Kit to plant and learn how to grow a Bonsai tree is giving the retiree something unique to do in retirement. He or she can create his or her very own and unique living piece of art.
The tree comes fully trimmed and potted in a ceramic container.
This Bonsai Starterkit includes the following:
- Glazed ceramic imported container
- Willow Leaf Ficus Bonsai Tree
- Annealed training wire
- Multi-colored textured rock
- Decorative pebbles for the soil
- Ceramic miniature figurine
- Humidity/drip tray
- Traditional bonsai shears
- Slow-release fertilizer pellets
- Book: 101 Essential Tips on Bonsai
Did you know that Bonsai symbolizes harmony, peace, balance, and all that is good in nature? And by gifting a Bonsai you give the retiree harmony, peace, and balance in retirement. It makes this bonsai starter kit a unique retirement gift!
13) Scratch Off Bucket List Poster
For most people, retirement is the time in their life to do the unique things they’ve always love to do. That’s why a bucket list is a perfect way to set new goals for the things you’ve always wanted to do.
And when you know, the retiree has a retirement full of plans; you can stimulate this mentality by giving the retiree this unique Scratch Off Bucket List Poster. It will motivate him or her, even more, to make the most out of their retirement.
14) Unique Subscription Box from Cratejoy
Give the retiree a retirement gift that allows them to create their own unique experience in retirement with Cratejoy. You’ll find so many unique and fun subscription boxes that you can give as a retirement gift on Cratejoy.
Cratejoy is featured in magazines like Forbes, InStyle, Marie Claire, Rolling Stone, and many others. A subscription box is the perfect unique retirement gift that you’re looking for. They have awesome subscription boxes for men and Crates of Joy for women.
For example: Treat the retiree to an awesome Arts & Crafts Subscription Box so that they can get creative with new and fun art projects and create their own unique piece of art in retirement.
Or give a Food & Beverage Cratejoy such as the American Cocktail Club where the retiree gets a premium cocktail subscription box that curates all-natural and world-class cocktails. Or a BBQ box for a BBQ lover or a monthly Fresh Baked Cookie Crate for a retiree who loves to bake cookies together with their grandchildren.
15) Unique Photo on Canvas
Capture a great moment and print it on canvas to give the retiree. You can select a photo from a unique moment in the retiree’s life or create a new photo, especially for their retirement and print the Photo on Canvas. The retiree can hang it up on their home and can always look at it and be reminded of this unique gift they received.
A great idea is to capture unique moments on their last day or week at work or their retirement party. And create a collage to print on Canvas. Or create a group photo with friends, family, or coworkers that they can hang up in their living room or at the home office.
16) Craft Beer Delivery
A beer lover will love getting Award-Winning Craft Beer as a retirement gift delivered to his or her house in retirement by The Craft Beer Club. They can taste and try out unique and exceptional craft beers from the country’s best, small, independent brewers.
The Craft Beer Club delivers Unique Craft Beers produced by small-production, independent, artisan, craft brewers that are among the best in America. Many of which have earned top awards for their signature brews.
You can gift the retiree one or multiple shipments of beer and select the frequency of delivery: monthly, quarterly, or every other month. That’s totally up to you. And the best part is there is NO membership fee and NO obligation to continue. You can cancel your membership or gift at any time. Also, shipping is free.
17) Retirement Bracelet with Meaningful Message
This bracelet is a unique retirement gift for women. The meaningful message, which is printed on a card, says, “Happy Retirement! Through the ages, amazonite has been worn to provide empowerment, harmony, and balance – the perfect stone for beginning this new chapter in your life. The little ladybug is a cherished symbol of good luck across the world. May wearing this bracelet help smooth your transition into your well-earned retirement and bring you good luck and much happiness.“
The bracelet comes in a gift box with a satin bow. It’s the perfect retirement gift to wish someone a happy retirement!
18) Customized Moon Light Lamp
This Moon Light Lamp is a unique gift to give a close loved one that is retiring. For example your grandfather, grandmother, mom, dad, or a close friend. You can customize it by adding a picture of the two of you and add a text for example: “Love you to the moon and back.” A great gift that is one of a kind.
19) Noise-canceling Headphone
A noise-canceling headphone is one of the best gifts you can give a retiree with travel plans. Because with traveling in planes and vehicles comes a lot of white noise that makes you feel tired when you arrive at your destination.
And with a noise-canceling headphone, the retiree can listen to high-quality sound music but also actively cancel out this noise. Which makes traveling more comfortable and a lot less exhausting for them. It can make their travel experience better and more enjoyable.
This noise-canceling headphone from Sony is the World’s best noise-canceling headphone out there. It’s proven to be the industry leader when it comes to noise cancelation. So you’ll give the retiree the best of the best.
20) Engraved Watch For Men (Traditional Gift)
A watch is the most traditional gift to give a retiree. It symbolized time. Fun fact, the tradition to give a watch to the retiree started at Pepsi Co company, where they would give their retiring employees a gold watch with the symbol “You gave us your time, now we give you time.”
This tradition has modernized where everyone can give a retiree a watch as a retirement gift with the time as a symbol, engraved, or note. For example:
- “Have the time of your life in retirement.”
- “Now, it’s time for our adventure together.”
- “Now it’s your time to all the things you love to do.”
- “Make it the best time of your life.”
And a unique watch you can give the retiree is this best selling Wooden Watch with a luxurious design, that you can get on Amazon. You can add your own personal message.
21) Engraved Watch for Woman (Traditional Gift)
When the retiree is a woman and you want to give a watch as a retirement gift, I advise you to go with a more suitable woman’s design, like this watch.
It’s a stainless steel watch with a classic analog design. You can add your own personal message, date, or anything you like to create a more personal touch. There are different straps available for this watch, so it’s easy to customize and fit for every occasion.
22) Retired Not My Problem Anymore – Vintage Gift T-Shirt
Giving a retirement t-shirt is always a great choice. It’s a fun gift, and when you know that the retiree loves some humor, you can’t go wrong with a fun t-shirt.
This retirement t-shirt has the text ‘Retired, Not My Problem Anymore’ and is available in both men’s and women’s designs. This specific shirt is the ‘2020’ edition, but it’s also available for other years. The shirt comes in three different colors.
23) Gift Book: Retirement Is A Full-Time Job
Retirement Is A Full-Time Job is a unique and funny gift book to give someone for retirement. The best approach to retirement is with laughter. And this fun book with a collection of colorful quotes and photos will give the retiree lots to laugh at. And because it’s a small and inexpensive book, it can be a great addition to your retirement gift or retirement gift basket.
24) Personalized Retirement Gift
A personalized gift makes a retirement gift more unique. And there are so many amazing personalized gifts out there. For example, if he is a beer lover, you can get him engraved beer glasses, or if he likes to cook, you can get a nice personalized cutting board. A personalized BBQ Tool Set for a BBQ lover is a great and unique retirement gift.
What do you think of this personalized crossword puzzle? Great for when the retiree loves to make puzzles!
Because the best-personalized gifts are gifts that match the retiree’s interest, hobby, or future plans in retirement. So when you know what he or she likes you can get them a great retirement gift with their name or initials on it. Check out amazing personalized retirement gift ideas at Uncommon Goods
25) Day of the Week Clock
In retirement, it doesn’t matter anymore what time it is. Perhaps, it only matters to know which day of the week it is. And you can give this unique Day of The Week Clock as a funny retirement gift. To hang up at home, boat, RV, vacation home, kids’ room, or home office for anyone on a “retired” schedule.
26) Funny Retired Beer Mug
Give the retiree who loves beer this 15 oz. Funny Retired Beer Mug with the text: “This Beer Tastes A Lot Like I’m Not Going To Work Tomorrow.” And, for sure, his or her beer will taste a lot better in retirement.
27) Unique Home Bar Gift
In retirement, every day can have a happy hour. And if you are looking for a unique retirement gift for a retiree who has a home bar and also plans to enjoy many happy hours in retirement, a unique Home Bar Gift from the Home Wet Bar is a great idea.
You can gift personalized glassware, unique bar accessories, outdoor party gift or a personalized sign for their home bar or man cave.
28) Retirement Gifts to Enjoy with Grandchildren
Many retirees look forward to spending a lot more quality time with their grandchildren in retirement. And you can make it more fun for them when you give a retirement gift they can enjoy together with their grandchildren. And to help you out on finding the best gift, here are some fun ideas:
29) Host A Retirement Party
Surprise the retiree with a retirement celebration and organize a retirement party. A retirement party itself is not unique, but you can create fun elements and customize it to the retiree to make the party unique and one to remember forever. And to know how to throw the best retirement party ever, you need to know more. And therefore, I advise you to read the following helpful articles as well;
- How To Celebrate A Retirement Party At Home: 14 Tips
- How To Celebrate Retirement At Work: 18 Creative Ideas
When you throw a retirement party, you need to arrange a lot of things. One thing you’ll definitely need is fun retirement party decorations! You can easily get these on Amazon.
30) Retirement Spa Gift Basket For a Woman
Spa Essentials – Spa Gift Basket
Create a unique retirement gift by creating a retirement gift basket. And the best gift baskets are filled with either the retiree’s favorite snacks and drinks or a gift basket that matches the retiree’s personality or plans for retirement. You can easily design a gift basket at Design It Yourself Gift Baskets. This unique Spa Gift Basket is the perfect gift basket for a woman who’s retiring.
31) A BBQ Gift Basket For Men
When you know that the retiree is a fan of BBQ’n, it’s a great idea to give him this unique retirement BBQ gift basket. It’s the perfect starter package for a summer BBQ and contains different rubs, a cutting board, and ingredients to create a summer cocktail!
32) Retirement Hobby Related Gift
Also, a great retirement gift to stand out from the crowd is to give a gift that is related to the retiree’s favorite hobby. Or a gift that inspires a new hobby in retirement. And here are some awesome ideas you can consider giving:
- Gardening Tool Set for a retiree with a green thumb
- Blank Comic Book for a retiree who loves to draw and create stories
- Lego Ship in a Bottle for a retiree who likes creative building
- The Writers Toolbox for a passionate hobby writer or an aspiring writer in retirement
- Art Painting Set for a (beginner) painter
- Funny Golf Ball Storage Bag for a golfer with a sense of humor
- 3D Wood puzzle for a puzzling retiree
33) Polaroid Camera
You can give the retiree a Polaroid camera to capture their own unique moments in retirement. From moments they spend together with grandchildren, friends, and family to beautiful moments on upcoming travel adventures.
This Polaroid camera is the modern version of the old-school polaroid camera. It prints beautiful and premium quality photos instantly like in the old days, but the camera also has many modern features like the new cameras we know now.
34) Custom Reel Viewer Set
You can create a unique gift by giving the retiree a way to preserve great memories in retro style. This Reel Viewer Set contains a Red RetroViewer, Viewfinder, and one gift card with a code to upload your Custom Reel. The retiree can create his or her reel with their choice of photos. Or you can create a reel with fun photos of the retiree to give as a complete fun and down memory lane gift.
35) Sand Art
Give the retiree a unique piece of art by giving this Sand Art Picture. By turning it around, it automatically creates new pictures of sand. And it created new pieces of art to look at every day in retirement. Watching the sand move also relaxes you and can be a great stress reliever as well.
36) Original Buddha Board
The retiree can create art with this Original Buddha Board. It’s a unique and new way of painting. You paint with water and a bamboo brush and can only enjoy your creation for a moment because when the water evaporates, your masterpiece slowly fades away.
You create art but also practice the art of letting go. This Buddha Board is inspired by the Zen idea of living in the moment. And it is a unique gift for a creative retiree that also likes to practice a bit of mindfulness in retirement.
37) Unique Retirement Book
You wish someone a happy and healthy retirement. And you can put these words into your retirement gift by giving a unique book that helps the retiree to enjoy retirement better.
Because sometimes the transition into retirement can be a struggle. And you can help the retiree by giving a great book that guides and inspires them on how to make the most out of their retired life. And how they can enjoy their retirement as long and healthy as possible.
38) Kindle E-Reader
You can also give the retiree unlimited reading in retirement by giving him or her an Oasis Kindle E-reader. The retiree can choose to read the thousands of books that are available with a Kindle Membership.
39) Unique Outdoor Fire Pit
A retiree who loves to camp will love a Solo Stove as a retirement gift. The retiree can use the Solo Stove for grilling and creating new memories in retirement while making a bonfire during camping or at home.
Solo Stove is famous for its stainless steel wood-burning stoves and fire pits designed with efficient airflow. Portable and durable, designed for adventure, whether outdoors or at home. You can get a fire pit or a camp stove for the retiree and include accessories to complete the gift.
40) The Book of Unusual Knowledge
If the retiree has a curious mind and a passion for learning and knowing about interesting facts, then this book: The Book of Unusual Knowledge is a great and unique retirement gift to give.
This book with 704 pages is packed with an abundance of captivating and interesting information, some useful, others not so much. It has quirky illustrations and a vast array of articles, anecdotes, lists, and games about different topics from the animal kingdom, sports, art to history, technology, and the universe. It will keep the retiree occupied in retirement with many hours of fascinating and unique reading material.
You can even add extra (and same kind) books to your retirement gift: The book of Useless Information and The Book of Incredible Information.
41) Experience Gift For The Retiree
Another unique and great gift to give someone who is retiring is an experience. You can give an experience you know they will enjoy in retirement. And these are examples of experiences you can give for retirement:
- Tickets to a show, (music) festival, theater, movie, museum, or sporting event.
- Give a retiree a workshop or lessons they’re interested in and want to learn more about, for example, cooking, pottery, art, beekeeping, foreign language, etc.
- Give a bucket list experience. Make a dream come true by giving an experience the retiree has on their retirement bucket list.
- Give a trip. You can give the retiree a weekend getaway with friends, a second honeymoon, or a family trip to enjoy in retirement.
Giving an experience is giving a new memory that they can cherish forever in retirement. You can decide to accompany the retiree on the experience to spend quality time together or give an experience they can enjoy with their spouse, friends, or family members.
42) Honoring Gift For The Retiree
You can celebrate the retiree by giving a unique honoring retirement gift (together with other people). And you can plan to give this gift during a special moment, for example, their retirement party, last workday, etc. And to help you out, here are ideas of honoring gifts you can give:
- Create and show a (fun) video. You can create it together with other people: friends, family, and co-workers to make it even more memorable. Video ideas are music video (with retiree’s favorite song), a montage of answers to questions about the retiree, well wishes and messages from everybody, a funny retirement trailer, photo slide show, video montage of retiree’s last workday/ week/ month.
- Create a scrapbook with photos, messages, wishes, fun anecdotes, and stories from co-workers, friends, and family.
- Give the retiree an Engraved Retirement Plaque with name, message, and years of service.
- Give the retiree a (fun) and customized Award if he or she was great at something, and you want to honor this a special way. You can give a Thank You Award or Da Bomb award.
- Give a photo book filled with fun photos of great memories and unique moments in the retiree’s life. It’s a nice gift that the retiree can always look into in their retirement.
- Give a speech to honor the retiree’s successes, contributions, and personality and perhaps add a presentation to show their career’s highlights. It’s up to you if you want to make it a formal or funny informal speech. Check out tips in my article; 13 Tips On How To Give The Best Retirement Speech
Do you want to know more ways to make a retirement celebration special? Read my article: 30 Ideas To Make A Retirement Party Extra Special
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