My MIL is retiring on Tuesday from the FTW police force. Her party was supposed to be next month, but they are now doing it on Tuesday so we are scrambling for a gift idea. My husband's sisters and I are doing a gift basket with things for her hobbies (gardening, smoking cigars and quilting) but my husband wants to give her something that is a keepsake. This woman is a bit of a hoarder and collects EVERYTHING already (including police car things). We're at a loss. What should we get? ANY tips would be very appreciated!! Happy Thursday!!
Hire a maid service for a month or six.
Gutter cleaner service?
House power washer service?
Stogie store gift card?
Smoke eater ashtray?
How about a shadow box (or 2) for her old badge, the patch from her sleeve, maybe the stub from her last paycheck, anything else that she's keeping? At least her hoarding will be under control and can be displayed proudly in recognition of her service.
I love the shadowbox idea.
The difference between a hoarder and collector is almost purely presentation.
What's the dept doing for her? (Call and ask if you don't know, so you don't double up!)
One thing I've done for some retiring military officers is to find their boot amp graduation photo, and their most recent official photo and have those double mounted along with their ribbons. In 2 cases I got pictures of them with their children as kids & kids as adults, and fav photos of them and their friends, mocked them all up in black and white and transluscent as a background for the matte, and a list of every duty station they'd lived in and had people sign it. Sort of a This is Your Life. Took AGES though. If you were going to do this, I'd recommend getting everyone's contact info / in on the scheme at the parties, and set it up for a 1 year anniversary or Xmas present.
Does she have a favorite place to eat? Maybe get a nice card and write in it "our gift to you is dinner at xyz" the week after your retirement. No stuff required - just love, your presence, and of course, you and your husband pick up the tab. : )
If that doesn't fit, could you find a quilting club and pay her membership? Generous gift certificate to the finest nursery (the gardening kind) in town?
Marda is an ex Police Officer, hope she sees this post to give you some ideas.
How much are you looking to spend? If money isn't too big of deal, maybe a family vaca somewhere with her. Let her finally get to spend time with her kids/grandkids after all these years. Take tons of pictures and then for an upcoming holiday, turn those pics into a memorable book as the keepsake.
Maybe a police scanner...so when she misses her job she can listen in and feel nostalgic....or heck, just be nosey and stay 'connected' in a way? That might be funny...dontcha think?
I second the shadow box idea. I'm guessing that the police force will put her badge in lucite and present it to her as a nice keepsake. But she might even want her uniform and cap put in a shadow box. Good luck!
