Retirement Gifts

No more alarm clocks, no more Monday meetings, no more reply-all disasters. Retirement deserves a better send-off than a sheet cake and a card signed by people from accounting. A hand-painted Limoges box is a classy retirement gift that marks the moment without adding clutter. It arrives gift-boxed, it is easy to present at the farewell party, and it gives the new retiree a little something to admire while sipping coffee at a very leisurely hour.

Crosswords, Cottages and a Shopping Spree

This collection celebrates all the things retirees finally have time for. A crossword puzzle box for slow mornings. A Shop Till You Drop bag for the newly free afternoons. Cozy yellow cottages and memories of home for the folks who plan to garden. Travel souvenirs from faraway places and a map votive for the ones headed out on the road. There is a marbled ball point pen for the memoir writer, a busy little bee, and classic blue and white boxes. Every piece is painted by hand in France, and the hinged lid holds a travel charm, a lucky coin or a spare key to the beach house.

Finally, Time to Collect

Retirement is when many collectors really get going, because now they have time to hunt for the perfect piece. Help them start with a box tied to a hobby, a dream destination or a favorite memory from work. Display ideas abound: a curio cabinet in the sunroom, a tray on the coffee table, or a shelf in the new craft room. Each box they add becomes a souvenir from this happy new chapter.

Wondering about authenticity? Read how to spot genuine Limoges, then see Bon Voyage, Travel & Cruises and Gardeners & Flower Lovers.