Updated on Sep. 24, 2024
It's the end of an era, and now it's time for whatever she wants her next adventure to look like. Celebrate the recent retiree in your life with these retirement gifts for women, whether they're looking to unwind or they're ready for new experiences.
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Finally, she’s getting what she deserves: the chance to kick back, turn off the notifications on her phone and do whatever she wants to do.
Retirement is a major milestone, and it’s worth a celebration. To honor the retirees in your life, we’ve curated a list of the best retirement gifts for women. Maybe she’s always harbored a passion for art. Maybe she’s the best cook you know, and she finally has time to tackle her pile of recipe books. Maybe she’s really, really looking forward to not worrying about work clothes.
“After many years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice, it’s time to start thinking about how they want to celebrate their “golden” years to come,” says Leah Inman, creator of Leah’s Gift Guide (she’s on TikTok, too.) “My favorite tip to find the right retirement gift is to think about what they look forward to achieving in this next era of life.”
As with all gifts, the best ones are those that are specific to the individual.
“My aunt retired from teaching after 40 years of service. When she retired, she looked forward to many trips to the beach, family time, and reading in her favorite chair with a diet coke in hand. For her, I might gift a ‘beach reader’ basket full of little goodies that represent what she looks forward to in retirement,” Leah says.
I’ve done my fair share of gift-hunting, for work and in my personal life (because getting the right gift is serious business!) Our selections range for the smaller to the luxurious, just so long as they can get real use and not collect dust. There are options for different personalities, relationships with the retiree, lifestyles, and hobbies—especially, now that they have time to pursue those hobbies. (Of course, you can rarely go wrong with chocolate!)
And don’t forget the card! We’ve got your back for retirement gifts for men, too.
A classic congratulatory gift. This celebratory gift basket is filled with bubbles (Prosecco) and gourmet sweets, like caramels, assorted chocolate truffles and a variety of cookies. After all, they’ve worked hard. They deserve a little indulgence, and this is a gourmet way to honor their dedication throughout the years while cheers-ing to all the sweet things in store. Keep this bookmarked for when you’re celebrating someone getting a new job, too.
Treat her to a box of chocolates as iconic as she is. This collection of truffles features artistic decorations on the top, so pretty she almost won’t want to eat them—even though she definitely should. There are between 10 and 20 unique flavors within each collection. Life is like a box of chocolates, and life is a lot better with a box of chocolates like these.
Some people may look forward to cooking in retirement. Some may look forward to a break from all of the day-to-day duties. Enter Cook Unity, a meal delivery service with food prepared by chefs, like chicken shawarma, pulled BBQ chicken or pesto-roasted salmon with ratatouille. This gift card allows them to choose the meals they’re craving most, although you could always order a selection for them for a greater surprise.
Sure, those spices in their cabinet have helped elevate their cooking for a while, but this spice collection takes recipes to another level. They’re single origin and sourced from farms around the world, like black Urfa chili from Turkey and purple shallot powder from Vietnam. The flavors really pack a punch and can amp up basic or more complex dishes.
A pie is a great celebratory treat—12 mini pies are like 12 mini celebrations. This pie gift box contains an assortment of four different pies (cherry, Dutchy’s apple, Texas pecan, and chocolate brownie and pecan) from a Texas-based bakery started by a mom and daughter. They’re made from scratch with local ingredients. Consider them a single-serving dose of joy that are also well-suited for care packages to send to friends.
I’m not a fan of kitschy retirement gifts, but this silly candle makes the cut because its dry humor is paired with usefulness. Most new hobbies and downtime go well with a candle. These are 100% soy wax, and you can select from a handful of scents depending on what they’d prefer, like mahogany teakwood, baked apple pie or vanilla bean. They commemorate the end of an era and hopefully will make them smile as they kick back and relax without worrying about responding to emails.
Remember when gifts like pillows and socks were what you least wanted to receive? Now, giving the gift of a great night’s sleep is more than welcome. And this organic pillow is not your average pillow—it’s made out of natural foam rubber and covered in two layers of cotton. It holds its shape (for those who hate waking up to a flat pillow) and remains cool throughout the night.
They’re always in a good mood, and they make everyone feel happier being around them. Thank them for the joy they brought to the office with a stunning bouquet that will bring fresh blooms and brightness to their home. This flower delivery features a soft harmony of pink, peach and cream-colored flowers elegantly arranged in a glass vase. It comes in three different sizes.
A semifinalist for the James Beard Award, this gluten-free cookbook will let them expand their cooking abilities while whipping up exquisite dishes perfect for sensitive stomachs. It transforms a wide variety of dishes, like basic spaghetti and meatballs, to caramelized onion and fennel biscuits, into gluten-free masterpieces. Before you give it to them, just request that you sample their freshly baked plum frangipane tart. You could also pair it with our favorite gluten-free gift baskets.
Because high-quality tinned fish can be a very gourmet (and healthy) treat for seafood lovers. They can dress up their morning toast with smoked salmon or top a rice bowl with octopus. This gift box contains fish from Spain and Portugal, including tuna belly fillets, razor clams, spiced mackerel fillets and more—it’s a little like ushering their taste buds on a trip far, far away from office life.
They’re known for their green thumb, and with an open schedule, they’re unstoppable. This harvest basket lets them collect their bounty (up to 20 pounds of it), with wire mesh sides so they can easily rinse off dirt while they’re outside. You can customize the sides to make it even more personal. The basket can be used to store tools when they’re not harvesting their fruits and veggies.
I’m a big fan of gifting coffee subscriptions because as a coffee drinker who gives gifts to other coffee drinkers, this is far more fun than getting them another mug. This Atlas Coffee gift subscription sets them up with six months of gourmet coffee from around the world, and they can customize their picks to their choosing.
Conjure up the feeling of summer wherever they are with this strawberry-basil gift set. It comes with a mixer and strawberry sugar that lets them shake up strawberry-basil cocktails or mocktails. Of course, garden party-esque drinks demand something sweet, and this gift box includes two mini bundt vanilla and strawberry cakes. This gift basket channels the fresh flavors of a vacation far away to celebrate that they’re now officially done with counting their vacation days.
They’re at the start of a new stage of their journey, and this compass necklace captures the excitement of the road ahead. It was inspired by Nellie Bly, the American journalist who traveled around the world in 72 days. Even if they’re planning to take things a little slower than Nellie, this necklace is a subtle token of their zest for the next step—and it can still fit in nicely with other outfits. It’s available in sterling silver or 14K gold plated.
Their schedule is clear. Let’s help them enjoy it with a rocking outdoor chair, where they can sit and watch sunrises and sunsets, enjoy their garden, or pack it up and take it deep into the mountains. This chair folds down and has a built-in carry strap to make transportation easier, no matter how far they’re going, and it includes a phone pocket and beverage holder so all the necessities are right at hand. Pair it with a soup gift basket for pure relaxation.
What’s better than a cocktail kit? A cocktail kit that comes with a 90-minute live virtual instruction with an expert bartender. This mixology class will teach them how to make a cucumber chili margarita, a left hand and a gimlet so they can sharpen their bartending skills for all future gatherings. The experiential element makes it even more special, and the gift comes with a flavored simple syrup set. They can also invite a friend to join them. Keep it in mind as part of a birthday gift basket, too!
There’s something about this cookie collection that reminds me of home-baked cookies of yore. They’re over-sized and indulgent, buttery and what you think of when the cookie cravings hit. They’ll help make the office-to-retirement journey even sweeter. This pack includes the company’s biggest hits, including the chocolate chip (of course), salted caramel pretzel drizzled with caramel, S’mores oozing with marshmallow and more. They’re made fresh daily, and you can send them either a dozen or a half dozen.
If she always orders truffle fries, bring the truffle to her with this truffle collection, featuring truffle butter, truffle mustard, truffle salt, truffle honey (the honey’s from New York, the black truffles from Northern Italy). The list goes on. It’s thoughtful, and it easily upgrades their meals and snacks with their favorite flavor. All of the products feature top-quality truffles from Italy, Spain and France.
Now, they have time to go through their photo collection and add to it. This digital frame spotlights their most recent (or favorite) photos in a 10.1″ landscape frame. Photos (and videos) can be added through the free app so that they can have celebrated moments on display—and you can preload the frame with your cherished photos of them before they receive it for an even more meaningful gift. In the days of packed iPhone camera rolls, this helps ensure the most important memories get their time in the spotlight.
True luxury is a few hours swinging in a hammock, watching the world go by. This foldable hammock is lightweight (it comes in at just over a pound!) and can be taken on a backpacking trip or set up on the patio. It fits two and can hold up to 500 pounds, so there’s room for partners, friends or grandkids to enjoy the scenery. For those who are environmentally conscious, it’s made out of pre-consumer waste that would have otherwise ended up as trash. If they’re more of a backyard lounger, consider one of the best hammocks with a stand.
As they dive into their love of cinema without deadlines getting in the way, a popcorn pack is an ideal companion for movie night. The popcorn is grown on a fifth-generation family farm in Iowa, and each of the four boxes feature three varieties: classic butter, rosemary garlic and tomato basil.
They can shake and stir their favorite NA beverages with Blanco, an alcohol-free tequila. With its fresh notes of agave and a little bit of spice and bitterness, they can use it in whatever typically calls for tequila or mezcal. It lets them practice their mixology skills while abstaining from alcohol, whether they love a tasty nightcap for themselves or are always throwing parties.
They have the time to work their way through the list of bookmarked recipes. This set of glassware helps them store their leftovers for longer, an upgrade from traditional Tupperware. It can also be used to cook food quickly—think steaming veggies, cooking bacon in the microwave or even roasting chicken in the oven. This set comes with four bowls and four lids, and it’s dishwasher-safe.
Now, where can’t they go? This trip planner will speak to their wanderlust with a year’s worth of destinations (25 every month) to help them decide where to go and when. It includes flowcharts to recommend ideal spots based on what they’re most interested in, whether they love to encounter wildlife, taste local dishes or lay on the beach and relax. The guide, which is created by Lonely Planet, so you know it’s going to be in-depth, also highlights local festivals, so they can get a taste of significant cultural moments and provides budgeting tips, depending on their style of travel.
Because now they don’t need to worry about picking out a work outfit. This pajama set made one of Oprah’s favorite things lists a few years ago—it’s made out of bamboo, so it’s ultra-soft, making for a good night’s sleep (without any work worries) or enjoying a life of leisure at any hour. Available in a multitude of styles, they’re cozy and breathable, and the piping detail makes them look sophisticated, a luxurious change from the pajamas that have been in rotation for years.
Now, she can pursue her watercolor passions with this 48-paint set of Gansai watercolors. Gansai is a traditional Japanese watercolor, and the colors are meant to reflect those found in nature. These types of paints are traditionally a little bit more opaque, but a little bit of water will adjust their transparency as needed. With this gift for crafters, she’ll be able to explore her imagination and capture the world around her. Maybe you’ll get thanked with a beautiful piece for your home!
Give her a taste of island life with these Hawaiian chocolates. This gift set includes three different types of chocolate (and two boxes of each): Milk chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, dark chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and macadamia nuts smothered in caramel and milk chocolate. They’re sweet, nutty and well-suited for any retiree who loves chocolate and has had beach vacations bookmarked since she started planning retirement (or for friends who could use a pick-me-up).
Whether you were super close or cordial acquaintances, this fruit gift basket inspires memories of picnics on sunny days and farmers market bounties. They can use it to celebrate their retirement with friends or have bites to nibble on throughout their non-working hours. It includes an assortment of fruit, cheese, treats (like chocolate-covered cherries), caramel sauce and more, all delivered in a charming woven basket.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for an ice cream maker that both taps into a love for being in the kitchen and can satisfy a sweet craving. This Cuisinart churner makes it deliciously easy: all they have to do is pop in the ingredients for their ice cream recipe into the machine, press a button and wait. Plus, it’s a fun thing to have on hand if there are kids, grandkids, or neighbors to entertain.
As someone who’s received a Headspace subscription as a gift, I can personally vouch for the power of regular meditation to reduce stress and improve focus, and the app makes it easy, with guided practices tailored to a variety of experience levels. There are even sleep meditations to help the retiree unwind and clear their minds. Work may be over, but a little help in being present and finding joy is always beneficial.
They always showed up with an iced coffee, and now it’s time they can enjoy their favorite drink on demand. This cold brew set comes with three different coffee roasts—light, medium and dark. The kit (there are two sizes) comes with pre-ground, pre-measured mesh bags. All they need is some water and a pitcher. It’ll be easier to make cold brew than it is to run down to their local coffee shop and place an order.
Just because they’re retired doesn’t mean they don’t need to keep track of their schedule. This elegant personalized wall calendar keeps their social engagements front and center, and, most importantly, you can customize it with photos that are meaningful to them. Nothing brings a smile to someone’s face quite like seeing the people they love and plans to see more of the people they love. They’ll be able to tear off the photos at the end of the month, too, so they can keep them for the future.
They like to start their day on a healthy note, and this granola gift set will ensure that every morning is bright. It comes with three tins of granola—turmeric and super seed, strawberry and salty peanut and blueberry and sunflower butter. The granola is packed with organic, nutrient-dense ingredients and created by a private chef, so they taste as delicious as a morning without work should. You could also make it part of a larger gift basket.
They can exercise their artistic skills and update their decor with a living art DIY kit. They’ll receive a redwood frame, soil and a mix of succulent clippings, which they can transform into a stunning mural vibrant with plant life. It’s a fun activity that will brighten up their homes. You can select from three different frame sizes.
