Retirement should be extremely special event for the retiree. It is the result of every single year he or she has served a company and signals a new period in the life of an individual. Starting the following day, the retiree will no longer have to wake up early in the morning to go to work, will no longer have piles of paperwork on the desk, and will generally be open to move on with life.

This most important event deserves significant consideration and preparation. The retiree also, deserves an appropriate farewell celebration. And what better way to send somebody off than with a party complete with gifts that will last forever.

That's where the problem begins. How do you find a gift that will summarize what someone has meant to the company? Here are a couple of guidelines on choosing a gift for retirees.

1. Select something that will endure. Commonly speaking, you will desire to offer a retiree a gift that will last, and not something that is consumable such as foodstuff or alcohol and even toiletry. It has to be something that will be unforgettable and can be displayed. You may also give the retiree food and drinks, but they should only accompany the main gift.

2. You may want to think about a company gift as one where every employee chips in, or one where the company itself provides for the item. Personal gifts are also acceptable, as long as they fit the characteristics of #1.

3. A plaque of appreciation is a regular gift, and it does not fail to fit the bill of being an invaluable keepsake. You may fancy to include a few twists here and there so that it does not become a cliché. For example, you might want to have a bronze plaque made for the person and at the same time have a commemorative plaque be installed in a place of honor in the building. Some might even try placing an advertisement with the local paper to announce gratitude for the retiree.

4. Depending on the personality and position of the retiree with the company, one might also think about giving amusing gifts such as spoofed magazine covers, newspapers and others that bear the person’s name and picture.

5. One more unforgettable gift would be a sponsored travel to any place the retiree has always wanted to go on holiday. Although it isn’t something that can be hung on a wall or displayed on a shelf, the memories of the trip itself will prove to be a precious reminder to the retiree.