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Retirement and farewell party invitations
Give someone a send-off to remember, from a seaside get-together or an afternoon tea to a black-tie dinner. Share the news with a retirement announcement, invite everyone to the party, then fill the room with a guestbook sign, party games and a “final clock-off” poster.
It isn’t only retirements: there are designs for leaving drinks before a new job, maternity and parental leave, a sabbatical, a move abroad and a teacher leaving their class, and a card to welcome a colleague back.
Add the guest of honour, the years and the details, then download a PDF to print or an image to send round the team chat.
Retirement & farewell by style
Questions about retirement & farewell
- When should you send leaving do and retirement party invitations?
- Two to three weeks ahead for after-work drinks, and four to six weeks for a retirement lunch or dinner, or a party with family travelling in. Put a poster up in the staff room the same day, so nobody hears about it last.
- What do you write in a leaving card for a colleague?
- Something specific beats something long: a moment you shared, what you’ll miss and a wish for what’s next. The “Remember when” memory card and the maternity leave message sheet give everyone a space to write, so the card goes round the office faster.
- What games can you play at a retirement party?
- Find-a-guest bingo gets people mixing, “fact or fiction?” tests how well everyone knows the guest of honour, and “how will they spend the day?” makes a good laugh before the speeches. There’s also a wish list of places and plans for guests to fill in.
- Can I make the party a surprise?
- Yes. Put a colleague’s name and number on the invitation for replies, say it’s a surprise in the wording, and send the image by personal email or a group chat the guest of honour isn’t in. Print the poster only once the secret’s out.