Retirement Party Tips

Sometimes it can be difficult to keep a party running smoothly. Since you're celebrating an important part of your parents' lives, it's important to remember that they're the focal point of the night. Use our helpful tips to make sure that not only friends and family feel at home, but also making sure your parents don't have to worry about a thing!Follow these tips for a smooth evening of fun:

• Invite a good mix of people; be sure to include friends from all walks of life. It's an amazing feeling to be surrounded by all your favorite people at once, and it's a rare occasion that it actually happens. Make this one of those special moments.
• Make two signature cocktails for the party, and name them after your parents. You can also name the drinks after their nicknames, favorite phrases, or favorite pastime.
• Serve your parents' favorite foods and dessert. If there is an interesting story behind any of the food choice, type up a piece of cardstock with the funny anecdote and fold it like a tent in front of the food dish. Guests will enjoy reading little tidbits of insight into the guest of honors favorites.
• Don't let them help plan and setup (or clean up) the party - let your parents be the guests of honor and fully enjoy the evening, no matter how much they protest to help.
• At some point in the evening, gather the guests around a table and give a toast or short speech. Often others will chime in and do the same, which will give your parents a fond memory to look back on. Here are some clever retirement party toasts, courtesy of Public Speaking Advice:
  
  "To Jack. We don't know what we'll do without him but we're about to find out.
  
  May we always part with regret and meet again with pleasure.
  
  May the best of happiness honor and fortune keep with you.
  
  A bad day at fishing is still better than a good day at work.
  
  Here's to your health and your family's health. May you live long and prosper.
  
  May you have even more fun in retirement than we do here at work.
  
  Good luck with all the work you've been waiting to do since you joined us."