Retirement parties usually involve the participation of the co-workers. In advance you'll want to contact co-workers, maybe have a "key" person helping you, to have them come up with funny or memorable stories involving your mom, and how having your mom as a coworker helped them. Little anecdotes. The party should be like a cocktail reception with appetizers, and set aside a time for the coworkers to tell their stories, mom's manager to speak, maybe the owner of the company to speak, and to toast the retiree. Also put together a scrapbook with work memorabilia, pictures of coworkers, pictures from previous company parties, etc, as a keepsake.

Here are a couple of recipes I collected from earlier postings (with the original comments) **************** Buffalo Chicken Posted by debbie814 Side note: This is a recipe that my hubbie makes that he learned from his college roommate from Buffalo, NY. It's very yummy!! 8 boneless chicken breasts Mix together: 1 small bottle of Frank's hot sauce (6 oz.) ½ stick of melted margarine 3 cloves garlic (minced) Dip chicken in bread crumbs, and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Place in baking dish, and pour the mixture over the breasts. Bake or 25 minutes @ 350. If you want it spicier, use less margarine. If you want it milder, use more margarine. Serve celery sticks with bleu cheese dressing as a side dish. ************** Buffalo Chicken Dip posted by Glenda_al 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs) 1 12oz. bottle Frank's Hot Sauce 2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese 1 16oz. bottle blue cheese salad dressing(or Ranch if you prefer) 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar, Mont. Jack or a combo Boil chicken until cooked through, shred with 2 forks. Preheat oven to 350. In a 13x9, combine chicken with hot sauce and spread evenly. In a large saucepan over med. heat, combine the cream cheese and dressing, stirring until smooth and hot. Pour evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 min., then sprinkly with shredded cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 min. Let stand 10 min. before serving. Note: Serve with Frito scoops, your favorite crackers, etc. Just be sure to have a spoon or fork to put on chips, crackers! Have made this many times, and found it works better, for me, by mixing everything together, including the cheese, then bake for 20-30 minutes until good and hot. Then let it stand for 10 minutes or EVEN LONGER to serve. ******************** I haven't made either yet, but they sound yummy... and manly! Also, what about pizza? make the crust ahead (or I can also buy it from my local pizzaria) and put his favorite toppings on it. Cut it in squares for bite-size pieces.

Contact the person who is coordinating the party and ask. Gift giving has a wide spread at retirement parties from little to much. For a long term employee, it is common that friends and relatives may give a meaningful gifts, something that has personal meaning between the gifter and giftee. I have attended several retirement parties and at the large ones, there is usually a time period where the retiree opens his/her gifts. If there is meal, the gift opening takes place near the end of the meal. The gifts can range from whacky-fun stuff to very sentimental. For example, at my party, people gave me simple gifts such as coffee table books, but the boss and his staff gave me a framed poster of platitudes by Vince Lombardy, the one time head coach of the Green Bay Packers. I was also given a cupon for a large monitor and cupons to set up internet service in my home.

Hope it was a great one!