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How to Throw the Best Surprise Retirement Party

I have shared many posts about all of the fun and festivities we have had at school over the years. As work at the school has come to an end for me, I want to share how to throw the BEST surprise retirement party – from the recipient’s point of view (me)!

Collage of retirement party images: Decorations with "Congrats" and "Traitor" balloons, framed photos, and food. One table features a DIY Nacho Bar. Another holds egg and bacon cupcakes. Guests are seen enjoying the party. Caption reads, "The Best Surprise Retirement Party!" Visit our website for more details.

Obviously I was not in on the planning of my surprise retirement party, but I definitely got to see the results. Although there are things I probably know nothing about, we have had so many parties, events, and festivities in our offices that I can say with certainty how most of the planning went.

The Initial Planning – Who are the Planners?

Three women in cheerful poses stand in front of a wall decorated with QR codes and small American flags, celebrating a retirement party. One points to the codes, another slightly waves, and the third woman smiles broadly. They appear to be in an office or classroom setting.

I will be the first to admit that I am not good at party planning! Luckily we have two other ladies (Mel & Rachel) in our office who are great party and event planners! You should see it when the rest of us are trying to plan for the two of them – crickets on any ideas!

The first step needs to be figuring out who the party planners are in the group and let them run with it. Everyone can help brainstorm ideas, but let the party planners do their thing.

Once our planners have gotten a good feel for where they are going, they usually put together a Google Form with a sign-up for everyone. This is a great way to let everyone see a live document of who is bringing what, so things are not left out, and there are no duplicates.

Things to Plan

  • Date and Time – Plan the date and time in advance and let everyone know early enough to get it on their calendars.
  • The Party Invitation – Virtual calendar invites are so convenient, because the event will be added to everyone’s calendar when they accept it.
  • Have a False Plan – This was an easy one for my office, because they also wanted to have an early surprise birthday party for one of the ladies whose birthday is on July 4th. They told me that we were celebrating her, and they told her they were celebrating me.
Colorful classroom adorned with red and blue star-patterned balloons on the wall and a "Mindfulness" poster displaying its benefits and tips, giving off the festive feel of a retirement party. International flags hang proudly while a lion plushie sits by a wooden table with a red chair.
Meredith’s Birthday Door
A person wearing a black outfit holds a white cake decorated with red and blue icing at a retirement party. They have light-colored nails and a bag in their left hand. The background is out of focus, showing part of the room they are in. The top of the cake isn't fully visible.
The Birthday Cake
  • Guest List – Besides all of the people who work together, think about and invite family members of the retiree. I have to say that this was probably the biggest surprise! When we had the end of the year district convocation, my daughter kept asking me if she could go – that was a no! When I saw my family walk into the office, I nearly fell over. Rachel found my husband and daughter on Facebook and added them to the guest list. Use your resources!
An elderly man in a maroon shirt and blue jeans sits on a chair in an office decorated with balloons, posters, and a lion mascot. He is looking at the camera with a neutral expression. In the background, a woman in a maroon shirt stands near a desk, hinting at his retirement party celebration.
A man with a shaved head, wearing an orange long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, is sitting on a chair in a room with white walls and a potted plant. He is holding a phone in his left hand and looking at the camera, possibly capturing memories from his retirement party. A wooden cabinet filled with papers and items stands beside him.
A young girl with long brown hair sits on an older woman's lap. The older woman, wearing glasses and a floral orange blouse, smiles and hugs the girl from behind. They are indoors at a retirement party, with part of another person visible beside them. There is a window in the background.
Four people are gathered in an office for a retirement party. Three stand behind one seated individual in a blue shirt and glasses. The standing people wear a blue top, a green sweater, and a black shirt, respectively. The office has colorful decorations on the wall.
A man and a woman smile at the camera while seated at a table, celebrating a retirement party. The man wears glasses and a tropical shirt, and the woman wears glasses and a blue dress. Behind them is a bulletin board with colorful papers and a printer.

  • Retirement Party Theme – One day I had a conversation with Mel about how much I loved bacon, so they did a Bacon/Breakfast party theme. The options are endless.
  • Party Decorations – Besides the fact that they know me, they listened to me talk about my favorite colors (Pink & Gray, and Rose Gold). That is how they decorated. (On a side note, you have to find the right time to decorate without the guest of honor being there. As I think back, the afternoon before this surprise party, I worked late. Mel stayed until after I left. Of course they could have decorated first thing in the morning – everyone would always beat me there.)
  • Food – Plan the food according to the retirement party theme.

More About the Decorations – Adding a Personal Touch

As I mentioned, they chose some of my favorite colors, but they also chose cute little sarcastic remarked balloons and banners.

A door with a sign reading "SIKES" and a slotted holder labeled "BREATHE" with GreenVille ISD logo. Below is a decorative, cursive sign that reads, "Rude that you're leaving but ok." Clearly ready for the upcoming retirement party.
A retirement party setup in a room features a "Happy Retirement" banner hung on a wall with pink, white, and rose gold balloons. Two chairs are placed against the wall, with one covered in colorful fabric. The ceiling has white panels and the floor is carpeted.
A pink balloon with the words "WE WILL MISS YOU FOR 5 MINUTES" written on it, surrounded by silver, crumpled foil on a wooden surface, perfect for a retirement party setting.

They had retirement plates, utensils, and napkins in the rose gold color. They set up a photo booth with those colors, and put up a poster of me with a rose gold crown on my head.😂

A person serves food from a table at a Retirement Party. The table is set with "Happy Retirement" and "Cheers to Retirement" plates, alongside dishes like scrambled eggs, bacon, and various vegetables. Another person is in the background, near the whiteboard.
A wall decorated with a shiny silver foil backdrop sets the scene for the retirement party. Several balloons in white, black, and pink bear phrases like "YOU'RE THE TO MY BUS" and "DON'T BE A STRANGER." In the bottom right corner, scattered images and newspaper clippings add a nostalgic touch.
A bulletin board displays a photo of a woman wearing a digital crown at her Retirement Party. In front of the board, there is a table with various pastries and snacks, including cookies, biscuits, and a tiered tray with assorted treats.

Party Themed Food

You would not believe all of the food they served at this surprise retirement party! Going with the main course (bacon), everyone brought breakfast food. There was actually so much food that they had to set it up in two rooms!

  • Bacon – lots of it
  • Sausage
  • Eggs (Scrambled and Hard Boiled)
  • Breakfast Burritos
  • Biscuits and Gravy
  • Bagels
  • Pastries
  • Donuts
  • Variety of Fruit
  • Different Jellies and Syrup
  • Juice, Coffee, and Water

A group of people is gathered around a table filled with a variety of food, including fruit, pastries, and cookies. At the retirement party, two young girls in the foreground are holding plates and serving themselves while a woman stands behind them, assisting. A TV and decorations are in the background.
A table with a silver tablecloth displays a variety of breakfast foods, including bagels, croissants, spreadable toppings, a fruit tray, pastries, and syrup bottles. A tiered stand holds more pastries. The setup is in front of a wall adorned with an "OPEN IN USE" sign for the retirement party festivities.

AND… You could always do a retirement cake, but they did my favorite –

  • Catherine’s homemade/decorated sugar cookies! She makes a variety of cookies, but for this day, she made lots of the plain sugar cookies because they are my favorite! They were also decorated in my favorite pink and gray color scheme.
A table with a variety of decorated cookies and silverware: cookies shaped like sunglasses, bottles, and shirts, some with messages like "New Grad," "Buckle Up," and glasses with hands. Plates with bacon and egg cookies are also visible. Pink and silver cutlery is arranged beside them, perfect for a Retirement Party celebration.
A tray of decorated cookies, some with sunglasses-shaped icing and others with messages like "Fine, go," and "In memory of my sleep." Perfect for a retirement party, the cookies are mostly in pastel colors like pink, purple, and white. Sprinkles adorn some of the cookies.
A baking tray filled with decorated cookies. Most are flip-flop shaped with pink and white icing. Round cookies include messages like "HAPPY freakin' BIRTHDAY," "QUITTER," "MOST OF US ARE REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU," and "todo NOTHING." Some have colorful sprinkles—perfect for a retirement party!

The cutest ones were the “Bacon and Egg” cookies. They actually had bacon and maple syrup in the cookies.

A plate of cookies, perfect for a retirement party, is decorated to look like bacon and eggs. The cookies are frosted with pink and white icing for the bacon and white icing with a yellow center for the eggs. The plate sits on a foil-covered surface alongside other festive cookies.

Other Thoughts and Ideas

They really put so much thought and planning into this surprise retirement party, that I will probably leave something out. They seemed to have thought of everything! Here are a few other ideas they had:

  • Other gifts besides the amazing party and cookies! Not pictured are cards, cash, and Starbucks gift cards!
  • A slide show playing on the TV with fond memories of some of the times we had together.
  • A prayer (from my husband) as we all gathered together to eat. It has been wonderful to work with other believers.
A group of people stand in a decorated room with balloons and a "Happy Retirement" banner, celebrating at the retirement party. They appear to be bowing their heads as if in prayer or reflection. A long table with decorations and chairs is in the center, and a printer is on the left side.
Prayer Time
A collage celebrating retirement, titled "Retirement Blessings!" Perfect for a Retirement Party, it features a bouquet of flowers in a vase, Jesus Listens by Sarah Young, a plaque saying "Welcome, Hope You Like Dogs," assorted decorated cookies, and a tote bag reading "Just a Girl Who Loves Dogs." Image from www.HOMEWITHGRACEANDJOY.com.
Retirement Gifts

  • Lots of Love and Friendship – the best thing! I have been blessed beyond words to work with these amazing people! They truly are close friends, not just work acquaintances or team members. I don’t know if this is rare or not, but we are a work family!
Seven people stand in a row, smiling at the camera. They are in front of a “Welcome to Your New School Year” banner decorated with a colorful balloon arch, lending the scene an air of celebration typically seen at a retirement party. The setting appears to be a school hallway or office area.
The Previous Year
A group of six women are celebrating a retirement party indoors, standing in front of a silver backdrop with balloons. They are holding various congratulatory signs and smiling at the camera. One woman is in a blue dress, and the others are casually dressed.
The Retirement Party!

Retirement Party Products

These are not the exact products that they found, but they are as close as I could find. They come in just about all colors!

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Other Ideas for a Retirement Party

  • Retirement Party Games (Some people love these. I am not into this at all, so I am glad they didn’t plan any games.)
  • Serve Finger Foods.
  • Have a Formal Luncheon.
  • If you don’t have a TV for a slide show, you could have a picture wall.
  • Have Live Entertainment.
  • Have the party at a nearby park (unless you are in Texas in the summer).
  • For people who work online, have a virtual retirement party:
    • Online Games
    • Take a Virtual Trip from their bucket list.

I will tell you that I am normally not real big on surprise parties for myself. This one was truly a surprise, but it was the perfect way to celebrate a major milestone in my life with my family members and some of my closest friends. It was such a festive atmosphere, even in my shocked and emotional state. It was not just a good retirement party, it was the best!

I hope my friends’ experience on how to throw the best surprise retirement party will help you plan your next party. Think of the best ways to celebrate the years of hard work, your friendships together, and any future plans.

As for me, they sent me off in style to have a happy retirement!

A special thanks goes out to everyone in the office: Meredith, Catherine, Emily, Rachel, Mel, and Sarah. – To the front office: Stephanie, Ms. Luna, Suzy, Marisu, and Carissa – To the principals: Dr. Stewart, Dr. Jones, Mr. Bice, Ms. Svatek, Dr. Russler, Mr. Mason, Mrs. Wilburn, and Coach Williams. And to Mr. Hunter, another event planner in the building. Thank you all for the wonderful party and for making the work environment so family like. I love you all!

Related Posts

12 Days of Christmas Fun at Work
12 Days of Christmas Party Ideas and Fun (Part 2)

Until next week…

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“Let the whole earth shout to the Lord; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.” Psalms 98:4

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2 Comments

  1. WOW–what a celebration! LOVE the switcheroo they pulled–telling you the party was for someone else. That’s a clever trick to keep the guest-of-honor in the dark! No doubt your party-planners hold you in high regard, Susan. Kudos to you for being a beloved colleague!

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