I’ve been tasked with the significant responsibility of selecting the perfect retirement gift for a departing colleague.
As the weight of this task settles in, I find myself in a whirlwind of confusion, thinking, ‘What could be the ideal gift for a person retiring?’
My colleagues, while well-meaning, aren’t much help, offering encouraging words like “I’m sure you’ll think of something great” before they hurry off, leaving me alone with this daunting task.
As I stand in the middle of the office, it feels like everything is spinning around me! Where do I even begin!!
Does this scenario sound familiar?
The first step in my quest for the perfect retirement gift is to consider the retiree’s interests and hobbies. Are they an avid golfer? A personalized golf club could be the perfect retirement gift. Or perhaps they’ve always dreamed of a particular vacation for their retirement? A travel voucher could be just the ticket.
Next, I ponder over a gift that could serve as a memento of their time at the company. An engraved watch with the company logo subtly displayed, perhaps?
A framed group photo of the team, taken at the last company retreat?
Or maybe a custom-made plaque with a heartfelt message from the team, expressing our gratitude for their years of dedicated service?
Then, a lightbulb moment!
Why not combine the personal and the professional in a fun and creative way? A retirement caricature gift!
And that is exactly what I did 🙂
I discovered that a retirement caricature gift is a fun picture that either formally or humorously depicts the retiree.
This is based on the person’s work career, their future plans, or even better, a combination of both!
With the help of the online caricature service Caricature King, I had the caricature drawn from supplied photos and other information that I supplied.
Generally the caricature is first be hand-sketched by the artist using the supplied photo as a reference. After I approved the draft, the artist used digital coloring tools to add the colors and textures.
For me, the beauty of a caricature is that it captures the retiree’s personality, their role at the company, and their future plans, all in one vibrant and memorable image.
It’s a retirement gift that’s personal, professional, and above all, fun!
On the day of the presentation, I knew people will remember the amazing response from the retiree and the fact that I am so clever in choosing such a great retirement gift!
Yes, I am now a gift giving hero!
So clever, in fact, now I get to arrange all the retiring gifts and people leaving the company for other reasons after long service.
I’ve used Caricature King more than a few times because they have a team of artists and I can choose the one I feel the person retiring will like best as a retirement gift to display on their wall.
I find the process smooth and easy and I even get help with ideas from the coordinator, Matt
And just like that, I’ve gone from panic to hero, all thanks to the perfect retirement caricature gift! 😊
Some of the other retirement gift caricatures done by the team:
