Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Reasons To Give Retirement Gifts

Whether you knew the future retiree in passing or know him/her over random coffee conversations, it is often appropriate to give one a retirement gift. It is a wonderful gesture which will be appreciated all the more if the giver and retiree did not spend significant time together. It also helps when giving a retirement gift improves one’s image in the company (wink, wink).

But there are more reasons why you should give gift to future retirees, let us look at some of them:

Improve Connections

Going to a retirement party is one of the most opportune times to improve one’s connections, especially if both you and the retiree are handling businesses. The latter has spent years in this respective industry, gaining respect along the way and of course, has built a good set of personal contacts along the way. In his final day of work, it is sure that most of the important people in his contact list will be there.

Gaining an invitation to the party, and giving a gift will secure one that other people recognize him too as an important person in the retiree’s life and may give one a better chance of meeting new and probably helpful people.

Parties are the usual venue to meet and interact with new people; so don not worry about awkward situations and pauses in between conversations because this is the time where most people feel their best and have the natural inclination to talk to other people. So go out there, smile, impress and meet new people!

Show Your Fun Side and Improve Your Stock

Typically, co-workers know each other based on project performances, sales reports and contributions to the team. And after work, most people are reeling from the daily grind and usually are not up for a good chat and a drink or two. So when you’re in a retirement party, show that your skills aren’t limited in the board room.

Think of gags, pranks and jokes that will woo future partners and admirers so you will have that x-factor when the next interview comes along the way. Show that you’re not merely a mechanical, droll and ironically efficient bureaucrat. Branch out, make some new friends and show your confident and funny side.

It is important to present your other side so they would know that you’re the kind of businessperson who knows how to balance his priorities and still have fun. That kind of combination will win you future investors if ever you will venture into the topsy-turvy world of entrepreneurship.

Conclusion

There are tons of unintended opportunities when you simply give a retirement gift. Connections will be built and your reputation will likely improve. Just let your hair down in one of these parties and show that you resume isn’t limited to leadership and creative skills. Show your fun side and let them bask in your confidence and potential.

But also, do not forget about the importance of your gift. It has to be in line with his personality and interests. Classic examples are monogrammed golf sets and autographed basketballs. Whatever your gift, make sure it fulfills the basic requirements of a good retirement present and you’ll be ready to impress people and get opportunities in retirement parties.

Monday, May 17, 2010

An Overview of Retirement Gifts

The working person would sooner or later have to step down on the given task that he or she has been accustomed to. The work that has evolved into a job and eventually blossomed into a career became a part of the working person's lifestyle. Definitely, when that fateful day of ceasing the intended work arrives, the person would at least want to have something memorable to take home and be a reminder of all the years that passed. Retirement gifts would be the perfect thing to have. This would definitely be more than just money's worth.

Overview

There are many types of retirement gifts which reflect the manner of career the retiring person has experienced. These are then categorized in different manners according to the characteristic of its presentation.

A way to categorize retirement gifts is the industry from which the retiree came from.

May it be bad or good, the affinity of a retirement gift would be much more valuable if the gift itself is a manifestation of the work that was rendered service. For example, retiring army personnel would probably want to keep something which is related to the army. A doctor who is about to formally end his practice in the medical profession would most likely want to have a recognition party or perhaps a medically related thing with his name engraved on it to let everyone know that he was once part of the medical practice profession.

A retirement gift comes in two categories: A thing or something non tangible. The former may be a memento, memorabilia, plaque of recognition, trophy, or any other thing which may be kept and be shown to others to signify and indicate the retiree's service to a specific business endeavor. The latter is more of a one time event, but still eternal nonetheless such as a commemorative party, celebration or public salutation to let everyone know of the finished task. A combination of both would actually be better to fully complete the acknowledgement of a person's service and thus would make that person feel at worth.

Retirement gifts could also be categorized either as commercial or personal. Most would probably think that a personally created retirement gift would be more memorable and valuable, but a commercially acquired or created retirement gift would also hold the same amount of sentimental value to the retiree. In this case, commercial retirement gift such as pre-set parties or merchandise like a watch or the like could be imparted with the same amount of value by engraving the identity of the retiree onto it. The manner of "personalizing" a retirement gift transforms a commercially created gift into a personal one.


The Value

Retirement gifts should not be expensive though as the value is not equated to the amount of money that was spent in allowing it to manifest. The important thing in giving out retirement gifts is the amount of love and care that was put into getting it. Even if it would just be a small token or a simple party, the manner of how it would be presented is much more heartfelt.

Besides, the retirement gift's effect on the retiree's self esteem will not end after the actual presentation. As long as the retirement gift is remembered, all the work experience and the value to which it was done throughout the years will keep the retiree summoned up and eternally reminisced.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Ever Thought Of Giving A Tour for A Retirement Gift?

Imagine this: you find yourself sitting snugly in the back of a black cab in London, winding towards an unknown location. And when do you get to that secret workshop, the place where luxury watch-manufacturer Richemont is tweaking the last bits of their famed watches which are worth tens of thousands of pounds, each synthesized from the most exclusive and expensive materials available.

Secret tours like this are usually made for VIPs, but if you can stomach the costs that come with it, then this can make one of the best retirement gifts you can give.

Has anyone ever wondered how Dunhill cigarettes are blended or how Maserati designs their vehicles? With the right connections and ample amount of moolah, then one can get these once in a lifetime opportunities.

Why Expensive Tours?

Touring the secret workshops and factories of fabled brands like Omega and Aston Martin is simply a wonderful trip to the halls of history and culture. These brands always carry this certain regal quality to them, and getting to know the men and women behind them and how they share the founder’s vision and emotions when creating these masterpieces are simply priceless.

Nothing astounds man more than the feeling of discovery and appreciation. Witnessing how thousands of little pieces form together a luxurious watch that is precise in it’s telling of time and flirtatious in its aura is simply a breath-taking experience. The fact that you know something that most people don’t know, where the feeling of exclusivity simply takes one over is simply irreplaceable. Basically, it would make anyone feel privileged and special. That is the feeling one will find in these tours, and nothing else can match up to that.

Other Tours

If these kinds of tours are simply too hard on the bank account, then one can opt for tours in the traditional sense: trips to the Alpine or a cross-country odyssey in Europe. An example is the Tour de Mont Blanc, which a classic alpine route and one of the world’s most famed walks. It traverses the highest mountain in Western Europe and it also passes through France, Italy and Switzerland, all of which share the Mont Blanc Massif.

It isn’t entirely demanding, involving mainly moderate hiking through alpine villages and magnificent valleys. Not only that, one also has opportunity to experience the culture of the place, savoring the best food and wines of the region in commonplace alpine inns.

The treks last for about two weeks, starting from Geneva and ending in Chamonix. This is the kind of tour that most people never venture in, and giving a ticket to this trip will reawaken the adventurer in everyone, seeing the sights and sounds of only the best in Europe while feeling literally the breath of the world in the Alpines.

Conclusion

Whatever your choice for the perfect tour for the retiree, make sure it astounds him/her while keeping your budget in check. Yes, retirement gifts must be the best they possibly can, but it doesn’t mean that you’ll kill yourself for their happiness. It may be as simple as a ticket to European countries, where they can go to art galleries strategically placed in key cities.

There they can still appreciate the history humankind has built for himself.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Golfing Retirement Gifts

There is a common notion that golf is a common past time and sport of big shot entrepreneurs and businessmen. It also has a notion of being an exclusively elite sport, and not accessible by regular blue collared employees. However, this is not the real case as modernization and commercialization has brought these so called elite sports into the hands of the common worker.

This is because there need not be a sophisticated equipment to be acquired to make this happen. Unlike big game fishing and polo which needs a lot of resources to acquire a boat and a horse respectively, golfers just require a set of golf clubs, which are affordable. With this in mind, retirement gifts for golfers and aspiring ones are easier thought of.

Personal

Making retirement gifts in relation to golf personal is quite an easy task as you could easily accessorize the golfing equipment with items such as home made golf club pouches, and caddy covers. These can be crafted by knitting (that is if you are into knitting) or any similar craftsmanship requiring different materials.

Another idea is to tap into the fashion aspect of golfing which is to focus on the things worn by a golfer. You may even start setting a new trend in golfing apparel just by a good imagination and a timely combination of clothing design for your retiree.

The Usual

The most common and usual method of getting a retirement gift for golfers is to hop on to the nearest sports shop and get your retiree the things sold there. It may sound a little impersonal to just get the retiree a commercially sold gift but then this may prove really useful if the retiree is still starting to become a golfer. Definitely you would want to get him a golf club set first of all as this is the basic requirement to be able to play golf.

Furthermore, you may find what other things and accessories your retiree golfer may still need, and perhaps also contribute to your imaginative side on what things can be made to enhance the golfing equipment he may already have.

The commercially made golfing equipment is also a safe bet to acquire if you would want to make your retiree feel good and professional by having a named set of clubs, making him like a pro.

Gagged and Loaded

The fun part of choosing to give a gag gift instead is the novelty of such items to be created out of it. It also adds up to the lighter side of playing golf, have the golfer catch a few smirks and funny side comments from colleagues as they too are influenced and humored.

The gag gifts should be taken quite carefully as it may be a sensitive matter for some, especially those who are still starting out as newbie players. Gags as gifts in relation to golfing might be negatively taken and discourage or at least hinder their learning and progress as they are disturbed by the idea emphasized by the gag or joke given to them.

As for the veteran players who are already well adapted to the game, placement of a good gag gift on their retirement day would be quite lightening on their part as they would see golfing not necessarily as a way to relieve stress but to actually just have some fun and perhaps a little competition to whet the winning urge of an individual.

Retirement gifts for golfers are just a simple way to make your golfer friend enjoy life after career.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Retirement Gifts For Women

Most working women look forward to this day, when their superhuman endeavors come to a close. Days of juggling both work and being a good mother takes a toll on them. And most sons and daughters will always look up to them and wonder: “how in the world did they make it through?” With that said, a retirement gift should be in place for them. Something that rewards all the decades of hard work and it should be with that hint of sentimentality that makes it utterly priceless.

Tips

When it comes to gifts, women, of course, want something different from what men receive. They’re not into sports since it usually disrupts their delicate yet valuable nature. They want to be pampered rather then beaten up, so to speak.

A gift that fulfills this basic requirement is a yearlong membership to a spa. Those mesmerizing foot massages and that wonderful and endless feeling of bliss can already make the retiree jump for joy. Another is a gift basket. Let her rekindle her love affair with food and baking with AllOccasionBasketts.com’s selections that only feature the best quality apples, almonds, pears and a host of other fruits that sell for merely $90. You may also opt for their coffee basket that has two kinds of creamers, stir spoons and it also has tea cookies and bonbons.

You can also opt for the universal weakness of women: chocolate. In the internet, chocolat.com offers personalized mahogany boxes which you may engrave with anything you want and of course, has wonderful Swiss chocolates which may be handcrafted into anything that seems appropriate (the retiree’s favorite flower, perhaps?)

If you want the retiree to feel truly pampered, you may give her a roundtrip ticket across the world, letting her experience the rich cultures of other nations while staying in one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. And don’t forget the shopping opportunities!

One may also opt for jewelry, but that’s probably the most uninspired gift one could give, right?

Don’t Forget the Children

But a woman cannot fully embrace retirement if there is no assurance if her children’s financial future isn’t secure. As a son or daughter, make sure you bring that off her back because nothing worries a mother more than her children having a tough time. So, you may give all the wonderful things for her but don’t forget that your happiness is what she keeps thinking about. Make sure that you’re already having the time of your life and there’s simply nothing for her to worry about.

Conclusion

Unlike men, there are more gifts one can think of to make the woman retiree as pleased as possible. It all hinges on one theme: pamper her and make her feel privileged. Douse her with luxury; offer her only the best. These are the things one must keep in mind when giving a retirement gift for a woman.

One must remember that the feeling of love and privilege is the dream of every supermom. So when retirement finally comes for her, when all the sacrifices she did for her children and all the hard work she has done to secure the family’s finances, it should be a time when she begins to embrace and taste the best life can give.

There are tons of options you can take. You may give a ticket to the world or a lifetime membership to a spa. Whatever it is, make sure it takes her giggle like an innocent little girl once again.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Retirement Gifts For Military Personnel

Tradition

Military tradition is based on several centuries of honor and discipline, and has been imparted on each military personnel that has graced over the age-long existence. Year after year, new batches of fresh graduates from military academies begin a new frontier as soldiers. Each day as well, new veterans formally step down from active duty and also begin a new frontier as non-commissioned soldiers, living among civilians, enjoying a much more relaxed stated of living.

In stepping down from the service that a veteran has endured and enjoyed, a military retirement gift is going to be one of the best reminders of his life's service to the protection of his state.

Retirement gifts could be generically crafted as mementos such as blankets, pillows, mugs, plaques, guns, and maybe even watches and fountain pens, each with a personalized engraving of the name, designation and rank of the retiree. However, there is also the option of making the retirement gift more specific. What make retirement gifts colorful in this career are the varied branches of the armed forces.

Each specific armed forces branch has its own specialized brand of military service and has its own way of distinguishing itself from the others. The type of retirement gifts would also be different in each branch as it would denote the uniqueness of that branch's military tradition.

The Different Branches

There are basically four basic fields for the armed forces such as the Marines, Navy, Air Force, and the Army. These denote specific specializations for Amphibious, Sea, Air, and Land operations. Within these, more specialized and specific sub branches are made for a higher level of combat operations such as Green Berets, Snipers, Rangers, Airborne, Navy SEALs, and the like. Each of these categories boast its own identity as being the best among the best, and each veteran coming from each of these fields would definitely want something not less than what is best as they retire from active duty.

Retirement gifts for Navy retirees would have more of a Navy Feel to the souvenir if the object or thing would be about Boats, Gunships, or any part that would relate to these. The same goes for Air Force retirees, which would most appropriately be related to airplanes, bombs, a propeller, or the like. As for the ground forces, miniature scaled models of tanks, jeep, artillery, or guns make up most of the given retirement gifts.

What makes all these different branches come together though is a common gift given to all retiring personnel. This specific retirement gift not only holds all the information on the identity of such a retiree but also is imbibed with the honor and prestige of being in the armed forces itself known as a military ring.

This ring may just be an ordinary flashy piece of jewelry worn by people, but for the military, this is one of the most honor-distinguishing object other than a medal and formal recognition. This not only makes as a perfect retirement gift, but also a very valuable one in terms of being brought anywhere with the retiree.

Military again is based on honor and discipline, and until such time that a military man has already served his country, he would most definitely want to continue his pride and prestige in being part of the military workforce, with a military retirement gift such as a ring or a memorabilia.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Executive Retirement Gifts

For the elite people in the business industry, who have probably tasted the finer things in life, personalization is the key for the perfect retirement gift. It must be something that lets them remember their legacy in the corporation, where they had grinded it out for decades to get into the position of their dreams.

It must be related to their interests, where after successful deals and spot-on investments, where they relish in those activities that make them happy and fully human again. These two things are basic and necessary to help the former executives remember how they lived their lives, and of course, the one who thoughtfully gave it.

For the golfer

Nothing says leisure and passion more than the sport, golf. The demand of golf clubs, gloves and the like has soared over the years due to the advent of new industries like hedge fund investing and business solutions. More businesspeople simply mean more golfers since golf is the sport where most of them bond and get to know more about each other. Another evidence of which is that golf courses are becoming more commonplace in rising economies like China, where Mission Hills and many others are frequently advertised in sporting channels.

All it takes is some creativity. One can put their company logo, family seal or monogram in golf balls, markers, tees and golf bags to exude that certain kind of privilege only they can taste. And for those who love to bring along friends in the golf course, nothing says camaraderie more than personalized golf vests for the group of friends!

Also, in memorable tournaments with other golfers, a miniature personalized scoreboard print will also help bring out memories as much as photos do. With podium finishes and ranks immortalized, it will conjure up the spirit of competition and help the golfer (and other participants) again as if they’re playing and enjoying the sport right now.

Recreational Sports

Some executives spend their free time in casinos, where they flaunt their wealth and win more on the way. So to speak, such people live life on the fast lane, gaining and losing a lot as they go. For the perfect gift for these kinds of people, there should be items that represent his/her lifestyle, like a cigar personally blended or a cigar case and cutter with monograms. A customized card deck with logos that represent the retiree’s trade/industry can also be done for them.

One can also go for the classic expensive wine or champagne, where the taste of which reminds one, with its incomparable sparkle, of the good life. A 1787 Chateau Lafite, Cristal Brut and Clos du Mensil are on this list.

Letting these type of people taste privilege is integral to the perfect retirement gift for them. And cigar cases with monograms and expensive alcohol go a long way.

Conclusion

Nothing else reminds them of themselves and their lifestyles more than personalized items and things that represent their way of life. Giving these kinds of gifts to retiring executives hits it right on the spot; they should live their golden years the way they want it to be. And luxury and personalization will help you find the best retirement gift for them.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Firefighter Retirement Gifts

Valor is an integral aspect when it comes to choosing the right gift for the retiring firefighter. Almost every single day, they risk their lives in often-dangerous situations in their career. So in their final day in service, the retiree must be honored as much as possible for his/her commitment to the job and we must let them know that he/she is appreciated.

Tips

As much as possible, the gift must be related to firefighting as the retiree has practically given his heart and soul into saving people in danger. But the gift shouldn’t be merely serious. There are lots of products on the web that offer firefighter retirement gifts ranging from the inspirational to the outright silly. Examples are the Fireman’s Prayer embedded on towels and carpets or maybe a pocket watch with the Firefighter symbol engraved on the reverse side of the watch.

But if you want to make the retiree truly feel like a hero, charms and medals should be on the way. In retirementgifts.com, 14K gold cross charms are available and personalized honorary medals. There are also Flag Maltese coins and Fire Chief Gold and Silver coins available on firefighter.com. One may also opt for classic retirement gifts like sculpted pewter moneyclips, mugs and limited-edition chrome lighters.

Or you can add a twist to your firefighter retirement gifts like a little autograph on the cap or probably a customized bobble head doll featuring the retiree. A polo shirt with a monogram is also a good choice. The possibilities are endless. All one needs is a pocket full of imagination.

One may also give a tribute magazine to the retiree, where it chronicles the firefighter’s highlights in his career and probably with some testimonials from friends, colleagues and family.

Thinking Forward

Firefighters are typically active people, so good retirement gifts may be also items that promote a hobby. A good choice is tool sets if the retiree loves to tweak automobiles. Or you may also give a golf set with a firefighter’s logo stitched on the golf bag to encourage him to take up sports and stay active and healthy. With that said, also include on the list, tennis and squash rackets.

You may also pique the retiree’s interest in history, giving him gifts about firefighting and some antique materials related to the retiree’s profession. Whatever your choice may be, it is sure to let you have the retiree’s appreciation.

Conclusion

But given all these options to work with, one must keep into mind that when choosing a retirement gift, you should take into account the retiree’s personality and hobbies. If he/she is the type who loves sports, take that angle. If he/she is a bit vain, then plaques and customized trophies should be in place. But if you and the retiree are mainly acquaintances but you want to give him/her a gift anyway, then classics such as coffee-table books featuring the retiree or special medals and coins are favorites.

Whatever you will choose as a gift, make sure that you recognize how you value the retiree’s contribution to society. Firefighting is a demanding profession that needs a lot of commitment, and a gesture as simple as giving a towel with a firefighter’s logo could suffice as a retirement gift.

Keep that in mind, and your gift-giving woes shall be gone.