When a close friend retires, no simple card can capture a lifetime of laughter, memories, and gratitude.
Their retirement isn’t just a career milestone—it’s the start of a new chapter built on the friendships and moments that truly mattered.
You’ve shared stories, inside jokes, and celebrations big and small.
Now, finding the right words to honor that bond can feel overwhelming.
Most retirement wishes fall flat because they’re generic:
✍️ Congrats on your retirement!—and nothing else
💐 A store-bought card with a canned verse
💻 A group text that feels like an afterthought
The best retirement wishes for a friend are personal, heartfelt, and memorable—words that make them pause, smile, and maybe even tear up.
They capture the history you share and the gratitude you feel, turning a milestone into a memory.
In this guide, you’ll find 120 retirement wishes for a friend organized into thoughtful themes so you can deliver the perfect message every time:
Themes:
Heartfelt & Appreciative Retirement Wishes for Friends
Inspirational & Uplifting Retirement Wishes for Friends
Funny & Lighthearted Retirement Wishes for Friends
Short & Sweet Retirement Wishes for Friends
Creative & Unique Retirement Wishes for Friends
Farewell Party & Group Retirement Wishes for Friends
Heartwarming Retirement Wishes for a Friend Who’s Like Family
Best Friend Retirement Wishes
Browse by theme, pick the wish that feels right, and make your friend’s retirement celebration one they’ll remember for years to come.
Say Happy Retirement to a Friend in a Way They Can Relive for Years to Come
Cards get read once. Texts get buried.
But a group video montage of heartfelt retirement wishes for a friend is a gift they can replay for years.
Instead of sending just a quick “Congrats,” imagine giving them a living memory—filled with warm, funny, and heartfelt retirement wishes that will always be there to revisit.
A retirement farewell becomes a true celebration of your friendship when it carries the voices and gratitude of everyone who shared the journey with them.
Start a Happy Retirement Group Video Montage today and make your friend’s farewell a memory they can relive for a lifetime.
Pro tip:
Use Tribute to collect and organize everyone’s retirement wishes—yours, family, and mutual friends—into one polished video montage or load it into a Tribute Photo & Video Book.
It’s the easiest way to turn simple retirement wishes for a friend into a keepsake they can see, hear, and relive forever.
Deliver your friend’s retirement Tribute in a Tribute Photo & Video Book. It’s a keepsake they can open, watch, and cherish with ease.
Keep Retirement Moments in a Book of Memories ->
Heartfelt & Appreciative Retirement Wishes for Friends
Who it’s for:
A warm‑hearted, thoughtful friend who lights up at words of gratitude and love, and treasures meaningful connections.
- 💌 Your friendship has been one of the greatest rewards of my life. May your retirement be filled with the same warmth and laughter you’ve given me.
- Every memory we share feels like a treasure, and your retirement is just another chapter in our story of friendship.
- 🌸 Life gave me a gift the day we became friends. Retirement only means more time for new memories together.
- You’ve worked hard, touched lives, and brightened days—now it’s time to enjoy the joy you’ve earned.
- 💐 Your generosity and kindness at work and in life leave a legacy that no title ever could. Happy retirement!
- Our friendship has made the years brighter, and your retirement makes me excited for all the moments we’ve yet to share.
- ❤️ You’ve been the friend who always showed up with a smile and support—may this new chapter overflow with happiness.
- Your retirement is well‑deserved, but your presence in my life is the real gift that keeps on giving.
- 🌞 Thank you for filling so many days with light, laughter, and encouragement. Enjoy the freedom of this next chapter.
- Friendship like ours doesn’t retire. I can’t wait to see all the joy that’s waiting for you.
- 💖 You’ve left footprints of kindness everywhere you go. Here’s to a retirement as beautiful as your heart.
- Our memories together are priceless, and I can’t wait to create even more as you enjoy this new chapter.
- 🌹 May retirement bring you endless mornings of peace and afternoons full of laughter with the people who love you most.
- The best part of celebrating your retirement is knowing I’ll still have you as my friend for all of life’s adventures ahead.
- 💌 Your life has been a masterclass in friendship and generosity. Here’s to a retirement full of love, rest, and unforgettable moments.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Inspirational & Uplifting Retirement Wishes for Friends
Who it’s for:
The friend who thrives on new adventures, sees retirement as a doorway to the life they’ve always imagined, and lights up at the thought of what’s next.
- 🌄 Here’s to your retirement—your passport to every dream you’ve been saving for someday.
- I hope this next chapter is all open roads, clear skies, and new stories waiting to be written.
- ✨ Retirement isn’t an ending—it’s your invitation to start chasing sunrises and collecting memories.
- Your next adventure begins now, and I can’t wait to see where your curiosity takes you.
- 🏖️ I hope your retirement feels like an endless vacation full of joy, freedom, and little surprises.
- Here’s to more firsts than lasts and more smiles than schedules in the years ahead.
- 🚴 No more deadlines—just bike rides, day trips, and anything else that makes you feel alive.
- May your retirement be your reward for a life well‑lived and the launchpad to everything you’ve dreamed about.
- 🌍 I hope the world feels bigger and brighter now that every day is yours to explore.
- Retirement is your chance to say yes to everything work kept you from—I hope you take every opportunity.
- 🌊 Here’s to quiet mornings, bold adventures, and sunsets that remind you life is just beginning.
- I hope you fill this next chapter with laughter, courage, and stories worth retelling.
- 🕊️ Retirement is freedom wrapped in possibility—may yours be everything you imagined and more.
- Your new job title: CEO of Joy. I hope your days are rich with everything that makes you happiest.
- 🌟 Here’s to the life you’ve earned—limitless, inspiring, and perfectly your own.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Funny & Lighthearted Retirement Wishes for Friends
Who it’s for:
The friend who never takes life too seriously, always knows how to make you laugh, and deserves a farewell as fun as their sense of humor.
😄 Retirement: where your boss is your coffee mug and your biggest meeting is with your couch.
🏖️ Welcome to the permanent weekend—just try not to lose track of what day it is.- Congrats on retiring! May your Wi‑Fi be strong, naps be long, and alarms be forgotten.
🎣 Time to trade conference calls for casting lines. I hope the fish bite more than your old inbox did.- Retirement: the only job where sleeping in is considered productive.
🍹 Here’s to more poolside breaks and fewer breakroom chats.
🏌️ Your new job title: Chief Officer of Golf, Gardening, and Grandparenting.- Congrats on your retirement! May your biggest decision be beach or backyard.
🕶️ Work-free life looks good on you—no dress code required.- You’ve clocked out for the last time. Now every day is casual Friday!
🎉 Here’s to fewer emails and more happy hours. Retirement is the best promotion of all.- Goodbye deadlines, hello lifelines—fun, freedom, and friends.
🛏️ Sleep in, snack often, and repeat. Your new schedule is officially enviable.
🎁 Your retirement gift: 24/7 ownership of your own time. Use it recklessly.- May your days be full of laughs, naps, and zero PowerPoints.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Short & Sweet Retirement Wishes for Friends
Who it’s for:
The friend who appreciates heartfelt simplicity—quick messages that still carry warmth and meaning.
- Happy retirement! Enjoy every moment of your new freedom.
- Wishing you joy, peace, and plenty of well‑earned rest.
- Congrats on retiring—your next chapter is just beginning.
- Cheers to more laughter, adventures, and slow mornings.
- Wishing you health, happiness, and time for everything you love.
- Retirement looks good on you already.
- Here’s to the life you’ve earned and the memories you’ll make next.
- Congratulations, my friend—your adventure starts now.
- Best wishes for days as bright as your smile.
- May retirement bring you the freedom to do all you’ve dreamed of.
- Relax, recharge, and enjoy every new day.
- Your best years are waiting just outside the office door.
- May your retirement be filled with simple joys and great company.
- You’ve worked hard, and now the world is yours to explore.
- Sending love and best wishes for the happiest retirement.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Creative & Unique Retirement Wishes for Friends
Who it’s for:
A friend who loves surprises, humor, and messages that stand out from the usual “congrats.”
- I was going to get you a gold watch for retirement—but then I realized you finally get to ignore the clock entirely.
- Congrats on earning a lifetime promotion to “Professional Napper and Full‑Time Fun Seeker.”
- Retirement: the only job where coffee breaks last all morning and lunch breaks last all afternoon—enjoy every one.
- Here’s to never using the word “Monday” again unless it’s part of a vacation plan.
- Your new boss is whatever makes you happy—just don’t forget to give yourself weekends off.
- I can’t wait to see how you spend your new 40‑hour workweek of doing absolutely whatever you want.
- Your old office chair is crying, but your hammock is throwing a welcome party.
- Retirement is just the universe giving you unlimited paid time off—finally.
- If anyone asks what you do now, just tell them: “I’m busy enjoying life—full time.”
- I hope your days ahead are as fun, quirky, and unapologetically yours as our friendship has always been.
- Your retirement is like unlocking a secret level in life—where joy, naps, and new adventures are unlimited.
- May your calendar now only have the events you actually want to attend—like coffee with me!
- Here’s to swapping office deadlines for bucket‑list adventures and unexpected little joys.
- Retirement is your personal art project—fill it with the colors of laughter, peace, and freedom.
- Wishing you a retirement so unique that even Mondays feel like vacations.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Farewell Party & Group Retirement Wishes for Friends
Who it’s for:
A friend whose retirement will be celebrated with a send‑off full of laughter, speeches, and shared memories—perfect for group wishes that feel collective, warm, and memorable.
- Your farewell party is just a highlight reel of all the lives you’ve touched—thank you for letting us be part of your story.
- From all of us: your friendship, humor, and heart have made every moment brighter. Happy retirement!
- May this farewell be the start of a lifetime of parties where the only dress code is happiness.
- Your retirement celebration is just a glimpse of the gratitude we feel for the friend you’ve been to all of us.
- From our group to yours: may retirement bring you the same joy you’ve brought to every gathering.
- You’ve always been the life of the party—now every day can be your own celebration.
- This farewell is proof that true friends never retire from each other’s hearts.
- May our group’s laughter today echo in the memories you’ll revisit in retirement.
- Together, we toast to the adventures ahead and to the friend we’ll always celebrate.
- Your party may end tonight, but the story of our friendship will keep adding chapters.
- From team lunches to surprise parties, your presence has always been the reason to gather.
- We celebrate your retirement as a group because every one of us carries a piece of your friendship.
- Even as the office says goodbye, our circle of friends remains unbroken and full of love.
- This farewell is just a party for your next big role: full‑time friend and adventurer.
- Your retirement party might have a closing time, but our gratitude for your friendship is open 24/7.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Heartwarming Retirement Wishes for a Friend Who’s Like Family
Who it’s for:
A friend whose bond runs deeper than casual get‑togethers—a chosen family member whose retirement feels like a personal milestone for you too.
- You’re more than a friend—you’re family. Wishing you a retirement as loving and comforting as every moment we’ve shared.
- This milestone feels personal because your happiness has always felt like our own. Enjoy every moment of retirement.
- Family isn’t just who you’re born to—it’s who you choose. Thank you for choosing us, and happy retirement!
- We’ve celebrated life’s highs and lows together. Now we celebrate the beginning of your well‑earned freedom.
- Your retirement is just another chapter in the family story we’ve been writing together for years.
- To my friend who’s family: may this next chapter be full of warmth, laughter, and love.
- Seeing you reach retirement fills my heart with pride, joy, and so much love for the family we’ve built in friendship.
- Life gave me the rare gift of a friend who became family. Wishing you a retirement filled with joy and belonging.
- You’ve been there through every season of my life, and now I’m here to cheer for your happiest one yet.
- Retirement doesn’t change a thing—family like ours stays close in every chapter of life.
- Your retirement is a family celebration because your heart has always been at the center of ours.
- Even if the workday is over, the love and loyalty that make you family last forever.
- To the friend I call family: may retirement bring you all the comfort and joy you’ve given me for years.
- Your retirement isn’t just a personal victory—it’s a win for everyone who loves you like family.
- If home is where the heart is, your retirement is one long homecoming to the people who adore you.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
Best Friend Retirement Wishes
Who it’s for:
The irreplaceable best friend—the one who’s been there through every laugh, secret, and life milestone—whose retirement is as personal to you as your own big moments.
- To my best friend: your retirement feels like our next adventure together. Here’s to freedom, laughter, and endless memories.
- Best friends don’t say goodbye—they just plan longer lunches. Happy retirement!
- Every memory we’ve shared is a treasure, and I can’t wait to make even more now that you’re retired.
- Retirement is your reward for a life well‑lived and a friendship well‑kept. Proud to call you my best friend.
- From late‑night talks to lifelong plans, we’ve shared it all. Here’s to your happiest chapter yet.
- Work may be over, but our adventures are just getting started. Happy retirement, bestie!
- Your career was impressive, but being your best friend has been the greatest gift of all.
- Let’s turn your retirement into a celebration that lasts as long as our friendship—forever.
- You’ve cheered for me in every chapter, and now it’s my turn. Congratulations on your retirement!
- Retirement is the finish line for work—but for best friends like us, it’s the starting line for new memories.
- Your retirement is my cue to show up with snacks, wine, and an itinerary for all our future adventures.
- Life without work just means more time for the moments that matter—and for us, that’s every moment together.
- Happy retirement! If anyone’s earned endless days of joy and freedom, it’s my best friend.
- The office might miss you, but I’m thrilled—I finally get my best friend back, full‑time.
- To my forever friend: retirement is just another reason to celebrate the life and bond we share.
Use these wishes in a retirement video →
How Tribute Turns Retirement Wishes for a Friend into a Living Keepsake
A lifetime of friendship deserves more than a fleeting “Happy Retirement.”
All the retirement wishes you’ve shared—funny, heartfelt, or short and sweet—can become something they see, hear, and relive for years to come.
With Tribute, your messages of love and gratitude transform into a keepsake that goes far beyond a card or text.
Invite
Create a Tribute page and invite friends, family, and anyone who knows the retiree to submit short video messages or photos.
Even faraway friends can participate, ensuring every voice that matters is included.
Collect
As submissions arrive, their farewell story comes alive.
Funny moments, heartfelt thank‑yous, and priceless memories all gather in one secure place, turning your retirement wishes into a shared celebration of friendship.
Create
Tribute edits and organizes everything into a polished video montage—or loads it into a Tribute Photo & Video Book, complete with a 7‑inch HD screen and built‑in speakers.
The result is more than a gift; it’s a living memory they can revisit anytime they want to feel loved and appreciated.