Retirement is one of the biggest life transitions but often the least celebrated due to many being unsure how best to mark the event.

As a milestone occasion, the retirement of a friend or family member should be marked with a gift. Whilst a traditional retirement gift is a watch, necklace, plaque or another object that represent the years of service to the company or in the industry, there are surprise gifts for a retiree you may want to consider here:

Classic retirement gift

The most classic of all retirement gifts is a gold carriage clock or pocket watch. These are quality items and represent the passing of time of the retiree’s working life.

However, these gifts are dated and are not ideal for women in retirement. If you want to retain the theme of time and include retirement gifts for women, you could gift a smartphone since these are used by most people as timepieces.

Another suggestion is to gift an Apple Watch, a smartwatch that will look after their health and features an always-on display, an S6 chip, an altimeter and blood oxygen monitoring.

Support a new or existing hobby

Retirement is a time to consider how to spend an increased amount of leisure time. Whilst many will enjoy spending more time with family, most will have considered other ways to spend their time. Find out about any hobbies they want to spend more time on or want to learn. Your gift can be one of encouragement to a future that may appear a little uncertain.

If there is a sport they want to continue, gift an upgraded set of golf clubs or if this is a new interest gift some lessons with a professional coach. For more sedentary pursuits, gift a Kindle or a gift certificate to a local arts and crafts store.

Commemorate their career

Whilst their career is coming to an end, your retirement gift can acknowledge their achievements, their dedication and the impact made in the organisation that have been appreciated.

Colleagues past and present can collate a photo book online with pictures that capture their work-life with photographs of them with colleagues as well as copies of articles and details of events where their involvement was pivotal. Once complete, the book can be printed and bound in leather to be presented.

You can also create a work of art or trophy that includes an item that was significant to the work they did.  A fountain pen or keyboard for an executive, a wrench for a plumber or a cushion made from part of their uniform.

Encourage fun with their grandchildren

For those whose focus in retirement is to spend time with their grandchildren, consider a gift box that will add to their enjoyment. Include classic board games including chess and backgammon which they can continue to play as the children grow up.

Add fun items too like a set of gold-plated cards that will make them stand out as special in their grandchildren’s eyes. Include tickets to a theme park, a sporting event or other activity that you know they will enjoy with their grandchildren or consider an annual pass to a local zoo, science museum or art gallery that they will enjoy solo as well as with the grandkids.

Personalise a gift

Whatever gift you choose, from a box of champagne and accompanying glasses to a photograph of the building where they ended their career, make it special with an engraving to mark their retirement date. If you do not wish to mark the gift itself, have their initials and retirement date carved, etched or embossed on the box or container that holds the item.

Age rocks!

Choose from hundreds of books that may be of interest to those new to retirement.  Books on age equality will change the way they look at retirement and enjoy their life.

Look for books by influential figures who have lived astonishing lives and achieve so much even when they are considered post-retirement age. These could open up new possibilities for the future and how we can each continue to improve the quality of our lives when no longer working.