Choosing to celebrate your retirement is a milestone in itself. While some may choose to retire quietly or even feel a bit sad about their retirement, you have made a choice to revel and let the whole world know about it. You’re looking forward to days of not having to wake up early, attend endless meetings, beat deadlines, or render overtime work. What lies ahead are days of bliss without worry, traveling to places you’ve only dreamed of and yes, a lot of time in your hands to spend with family and friends. There really is a lot of reason to celebrate!  

Here are some ideas on how you can best celebrate your retirement:

1. Celebrate your retirement with a party.

You’re probably asking how do you actually plan a retirement party? Like all other parties, you get to create a guest list. Invite people who are closest to you. Your family, friends, and colleagues from your past and current work would be top of your list. Your kind of guests would determine the other elements of your party like décor, theme and how formal and informal it will be. It will be good to determine your theme early on. Make sure that your theme is something dear to your heart as this will greatly influence your party from décor to food. It should be something that reflects your life and career. Some great themes to choose from can be the career theme or zeroing in on the type of profession that you have. For example, if you’re a teacher, then think apple centerpieces or chalkboard decors. Other retirement themes include: favorite hobby, hire year, look to the future and vacation theme.

Set the venue and the date of your party. Make sure your venue can accommodate the number of guests you have and that you’ve chosen a date wherein most of your guests would be available for your party. Send out invitations at least two weeks before your party so everyone invited will be able to make time on their calendar.  Have a checklist ready for all the supplies you need for your party. This way you don’t miss out on anything. Expect retirement gifts from your guests. Don’t forget to thank your guests by sending them off with a memorable party favor as a thank you gift.

Remember that the party is a place to celebrate how much you have loved working with the people present in your party. It is not a time to air grievances. Enjoy this time with your colleagues, family, and friends whether it’s a big gathering or an intimate dinner with them.

2. Take some time to relax.

One really good way to celebrate your retirement is to have time for relaxation. Gone are the days of setting your alarm clock to wake up really early for work each day. No more hurried mornings. Take time to read the paper and have a second serving of your coffee.  Say goodbye to never-ending deadlines and getting things done in a rush. This time you are not caught up in a schedule to follow and you are certainly free to do whatever you wish to do. Want to have an extended brunch with a close friend? Go ahead and enjoy every moment of it. There are no meetings waiting for you and there’s no need to rush back to your office anymore.

You may have had plans of going on a trip after retirement but have chosen to delay it a bit and just take time to relax and feel the awesome phase of having no set schedules. Some choose to relax for a few months while others get to extend for a few years. One of the ways relaxing can come easy during retirement is when you have done your part in preparing for it financially. When you have a financial plan, you would know for sure where lifestyle adjustment or delaying your retirement may be necessary. Make the most out of your retirement by sticking to a budget. Track your daily expenses and have a plan for your monthly income. Manage your time well and know how you will spend your days so you won’t have to fall for restless and unhappy feelings. Relaxing during retirement comes with a price but with good financial planning and time management, you will definitely enjoy every moment of it. Pay the price now and enjoy the benefits of it for a longer time of fun and relaxation.

3. Go on a trip.

Retirement means having to spend the rest of your days on vacation mode. Scheduling your trip to places you want to go to should be planned early while you still have great health and lots of energy. Go on a world tour or have extended stays on different places that interest you via a recreational vehicle. Recreational vehicles allow you to enjoy the journey as much as you would enjoy your destination. A train trip will also be ideal as it would mean greater comfort and enjoying scenic views across the globe. There are exciting and convenient tours that you can avail in Asia and Europe that can be maximized with the appropriate train passes. Plan some scenic stops in order to get an optimized experience.

This is the perfect time to take advantage of travel deals and last-minute airfares when you travel on short notice or in the middle of the week. When you get to travel during off-peak times, it means not having to deal with big crowds and less personal attention. You can also take advantage of senior cardholder discounts and use them for buses, trains, museums, hotels, entertainment venues, and tourist attractions. You may find yourself traveling on a fixed income but don’t let that hinder yours from enjoying your trip. There are many ways you can stretch your budget as you travel. Know that having more time in your hands gives you the advantage of spending less on your dream destinations while fully maximizing your experience in each of them. Go on a slow trip which is ideal for retirees. This will not require a lot of money and time from you. Stay longer on your destinations and avail of lower rates for your accommodations and lesser transportation expenses.       

4. Take time to look back and plan your next steps.

Have the proper balance of taking time to reflect on what you have accomplished and looked forward to what your future may bring. Retirement is the perfect time to look back on what you have accomplished in life. You have all the time in your hands to collect pictures on a photo album or a scrapbook and caption them. You can also start journaling and writing down your thoughts in a diary. Start mentoring someone and pass on your skills. Gather your grandchildren and share your memories as a child. Telling your story is one good way of leaving a legacy as to how you want to be remembered.

Planning your next steps is yet another exciting way of celebrating your retirement. You can continue learning by taking a college class with younger people that can give you a whole new perspective. You may want to volunteer with a local charity or have a part-time job and bring in additional income. You can even help in taking care of grandchildren, start a hobby or simply work your garden. The point is you go ahead and move on to something new as this will give your retirement years a greater sense of purpose.