12 Farewell Gift Ideas for a Coworker (That the Whole Team Can Chip In For)

When a colleague leaves, whether for a new job, a move or retirement, the team usually has a few days and a modest collection to find a gift. The best farewell gifts aren’t the most expensive. They’re the ones that show the team actually knew the person.

Here are 12 farewell gift ideas that work for small and large budgets, in-office and remote teams.

Personal Gifts

1. A caricature signed by the team

Turn a photo of your colleague into a caricature, print it in the middle of a large white mount, and pass it around for everyone to sign. It’s funny, personal and something people actually hang on the wall. It’s also cheap and fast: you can make a farewell caricature in seconds, even the day before the leaving party.

2. A memory book

Ask each teammate for a photo and a short message about a favorite moment working together, then turn it into a printed photo book. Start collecting early: people always need reminders.

3. A custom farewell card

Swap the generic store card for one with their caricature or a team photo on the front. Online card services let you upload any image.

4. An in-joke gift

The mug that always went missing, the snack they kept in their drawer, the catchphrase from that project. A small gift tied to a team memory often means more than an expensive one.

Practical Gifts for Their Next Chapter

5. Something for the new job

A quality notebook, a desk plant, a good pen or a laptop bag, ideally personalized with their name or caricature.

6. Retirement hobby starter kit

For retirees, think about what they’ll finally have time for: gardening tools, a cookbook and good knives, golf balls, a travel guide or a beginner’s painting set.

7. A travel gift for those who are moving

Luggage tags, a passport holder, a travel guide for their new city, or a voucher for a local experience once they arrive.

8. An experience voucher

A dinner for two, a spa day, a cooking class or concert tickets. Group collections can stretch further on an experience than on an object.

Gifts for Remote Teams

9. A digital farewell board

Collect messages, photos and GIFs on a shared online board and present it on the final team call.

10. A caricature reveal on the farewell call

Share their caricature on screen during the call, then mail a framed print to their home address afterwards. It turns a video call into a real moment.

11. A delivered care package

Their favorite snacks, coffee and a handwritten card, sent to their door.

The Group Gift

12. Combine a few of these

Many of the best farewells mix something personal with something practical: a signed caricature print plus an experience voucher, or a memory book plus a hobby kit. Pool the collection and let one person coordinate.

Tips for Organizing a Farewell Gift

• Pick one organizer and set a clear deadline for contributions
• Make giving easy and anonymous, so nobody feels pressured about the amount
• Keep it kind: jokes should celebrate the person, not embarrass them
• Only use photos you’re allowed to use, such as a company headshot or a team event photo
• Leave time for printing and delivery if you order anything physical

Make a Farewell Caricature

A signed caricature is one of the most memorable leaving gifts and one of the easiest to organize. Create one on our retirement and farewell caricature page, then check our printing guide for frame sizes. Planning a bigger office event? See caricatures for corporate events.