strange leaving gifts or nothing at all

I was teaching when my daughter was suddenly widowed (shortly after her first child was born prematurely) and I never returned to work after getting the news. Even though I was unable to give notice to the school the Headmaster and other staff were incredibly understanding. I was asked to return two months later for the end of term assembly so that my pupils could say a proper goodbye. The gifts they gave me were all thoughtfully chosen, but the greatest of all was that my students made little speeches of thanks. I was completely undone.

All my crystal vases were leaving gifts from colleagues at work. Very thoughtful as it showed how well they knew me - wherever I've worked I've always had a plant or flowers on my desk.

Judy54 I think it's sad that your colleagues (even as individuals) were not prepared to mark your retirement fittingly.

Although I'd only worked in my last job for two years prior to retirement, I had a nice send off. All our colleagues went out for a pub lunch together where I was presented with a silver necklace and a "thank you" speech from my manager and a farewell card signed by all.
I felt sad to leave but at the same time happy to be moving on to retirement and freedom from the constraints of working life.

I was very lucky, I received a spa day voucher from my workmates along with some beautiful flowers and lots of cards and gifts from the children I taught. We all went out for dinner too.

I received a cast of an Echinoid on a rough block of Aberdeenshire granite. ?
Still have it somewhere. I think!

I had a lovely leaving do and presentation ( Council)

I'm quite shocked by your sad stories. Where I worked there was a tradition of always giving people a good sendoff, whatever the reason for leaving - party, gifts, even sometimes speeches. It was often me who did the collection, buying, planning etc.Good excuse for an afternoon off for all the staff.
So I got the same - I've kept the book of photos from the party.

I had a gift from colleagues when I retired (nothing big). It definitely had nothing to do with management. I invited people to a get together in the local pub after work the week before I left and we had a good evening. My manager did not bother to go to that.

Nothing from my employer or department but some little gifts from workmates and one did a dinner for me and six workmates after the event ...I got a card signed by them all but it did feel a bit of a non event after 15 years

I had a lovely leaving do when I retired: a meal out with my Department( including being driven there and back), many gifts which I still use or enjoy, also many gifts and cards from pupils, a garden seat and a glass bowl. I was sad to leave, but it is surprising how quickly you move on.
DH retired at the same time. There was a leaving dinner with staff, spouses, school governors etc, but for the first time, no speeches. I was very upset for him as he had worked there over 30 years and given over and above the call of duty. His gift from the Governors was a silver-plated tray which resembled one you might have bought in Woolworths. He has lovely memories of some pupils over the years but was badly treated by a succession of Heads.

Thanks AGAA4. When I left my previous company after 15 years to take up this job I had a lovely leaving do and received many beautiful gifts so not having my retirement acknowledged even though it was through redundancy was hurtful. Says a lot about the people that I worked with.

People can be very uncaring at times. How thoughtless not to make your last day a bit special Judy

Thank you for your responses. As I said this was not just redundancy but early retirement for me, for some of my other younger colleagues it was redundancy and the need to look for other employment whereas I could access my pension and not need to work again so it was much more difficult for them. The expectation from our workmates was that we would lay on a leaving party with food and drink, we decided collectively that this was not what we wanted as we did not feel that there was anything to celebrate. Perhaps that is why they took umbrage and did not feel that we were worth them putting their hands in their pockets. Nonetheless it was very disappointing for us all.

When I went off ill and was never able to return to my teaching job, I received a substantial sum of cash and gifts from parents.

I felt embarrassed by the large amount, so I donated it to Mary's Meals in the name of my former school, where it allowed a fair number of children to be fed and educated for a year.
That was the perfect gift for me.

I retired during the first lockdown. I didn't get any gifts as we were all working from home and it would have been impossible to organise - we were still all going about in a daze. On the day I left I just went into a deserted office and left my laptop, phone etc on my desk for the IT guy to pick up later.

However I spent the whole day before I left on the phone to the people I had worked with, or answering the kind emails they sent me wishing me well. I'll remember that long after any flowers they could have given me would have faded.

It's very sad that some of you left without any recognition of your work and the years you'd put into it. Here's something from me

When I retired in 2014 I had worked in my job for 19 years, and I loved it. There was a leaving dinner with speeches, my favourite purple flowers, gifts of theatre tickets and table mats. I was invited to the next term’s students leaving do, which I attended.

That's unkind, tanith and for others who must feel hurt.

I received a gardening gift set, kneeler, a couple of enamel type little plant pots, hand cream, bird feeder. Quite nice, but I’m not a keen gardener. A bouquet from area manager.

What meant far more were the gifts from customers, (I was a bank clerk).

Cards, flowers, chocolates, wine, even the chap who serviced the lift came with some chocs.

Its awful to read similar stories, I was most disappointed that my colleagues didn't even bother to contact me to see how I was or to say goodbye it upset me for a long time, I wasn't wanting gifts.

I was very lucky too and received a voucher for a china shop (requested by me as I wanted to add to my Lladro nativity set) , flowers and other gifts. And as it was the last day of the summer term we had an extended staff lunch with outside catering!

In my experience if you were made redundant you would just receive your redundancy and notice payment (often a substantial amount after years of service) with no more than a token gift and no collection from colleagues.

Retirement was a different matter, with a presentation and a gift from the company as well as a collection from work colleagues.

It would be really mean if the company and work colleagues didn't mark the occasion when it was purely a retirement though, with no compensation for losing your job.

I retired last year after 20 years and received a fabulous day out for me and all my family with a four course meal and champagne, as well as an engraved vase. Colleagues bought me flowers and vouchers. But I didn't receive any payment or compensation for giving up my job.

I left rather like that too tanith but they had a collection and gave me a garden centre voucher and I bought a garden seat which we still use frequently.

My DH was medically retired after 35 years and got zilch, not even a card.

I was very lucky and received a large gift voucher, flowers etc and a big farewell dinner. I appreciated my colleagues' kindness but most of all I appreciated the cards and letters from various people with ASD whose care I'd been involved with. Sometimes from the most unlikely ones too!

When I left the shop where I had worked for 2 years they gave me a handmade Harris tweed handbag. We were a staff of only 4 and I know how much it cost as we sold it.
It’s probably the classiest think I own and I will treasure it always. I’d worked for places for much longer and with much bigger cohorts but it’s the only gift I’ve ever received.
Some colleagues are just much “nicer” I suppose.