In the light of several stock market crashes, a housing bubble bust and a general recession, many individuals approaching age 65 are planning to continue working past the traditional retirement age. When a friend, family member or colleague has decided he or she is ready to retire, it is an occasion for celebration. Retirement can have many benefits -- sleeping in, taking long vacations and more time to pursue hobbies. A retirement party is an ideal time to highlight both an individual's accomplishments and future plans.

Assemble text for the program from different sources. Begin with an online search for interesting quotations regarding aging and retirement. Select one appropriate quotation for the front cover of the program and another for the back cover.

Collect four or more photos of the retiree. Aim for a selection of photos in different contexts and from different ages if possible. Find one head shot that you can use on the cover of the program and casual shots from vacations or special occasions.

Lay out the front cover of the program. Center a recent photo of the retiree in the middle of the page. Write his or her name in a large font over the photo and the date of the party and the company the individual is retiring from below the photo. At the bottom of the page, include the quotation you selected in Step 1.

Write a paragraph summarizing the retiree's achievements and career path. Ask the retiree's family and colleagues for more past information, such as the retiree's first or favorite job. Write another paragraph describing the retiree's plans for retirement, including any scheduled trips or hobbies he or she plans to pursue. Ask the individual's family to fill in this information. Place these two paragraphs on the first inside page of the program, along with a casual photo of the guest of honor.

Contact guests who will be attending the retirement party in advance and ask them to contribute some thoughts and memories of the retiree. Compile this text on the third page of the program.

Arrange the other photos on the last page of the program. Write a short thank-you to the retiree at the top of the page for all he or she has contributed. Insert the second quotation you found in Step 1 at the bottom of the page.