Teachers are a lot like superheroes–they make the impossible happen, they have multiple strengths, and they sacrifice so much on behalf of their students. When it’s time for a teacher to throw in the towel, they deserve a standing ovation and one heck of a retirement party. Check out these unique teacher retirement party ideas for the special teacher in your life.

Topsy Turvy Teacher Retirement Party

Teachers spend a lot of time keeping things in order, whether they’re timing student speeches and group discussions, meeting with parents or grading stacks of papers. Considering how many to-dos they juggle in a day, it’s amazing they get everything done! When the clock strikes retirement, help her toss those rules and to-do lists out the window with a “Topsy Turvy” retirement tea party! Steal a page from the books of Salvador Dali and the Mad Hatter and go a little bonkers. Some ideas:

• Decorate a topsy turvy cake with wild colors.
• Use porcelain saucers, teacups, forks, fake flowers, and a hot glue gun to create table centerpieces that look like flowers are spilling from the teacup onto the saucer.
• Craft up a few mobiles using warped shapes, tea cakes, sugar cubes, squiggle straws, and spoons.
• Build small, colorful “street” signs pointing in silly directions.
• Create decorations that look like clocks with numbers falling off of them.

Sweet Dreams Teacher Retirement Party

Make your favorite teacher’s dreams come true with a “Sweet Dreams” themed retirement party! While this theme really depends on what your retiring teacher dreams of (travel, golf, writing her memoir), combine this dream with dreamlike decorations. Think clouds, stars, moonlight, soft colors and sparkles.

• Decorate tables like the night sky using a black tablecloth and sheer glittery fabric.
• Decorate the cake to look like the full moon.
• Create dreamcatchers of various sizes to hang from the ceiling.
• Order blue macarons and sprinkle some edible gold glitter on top to set on the table.
• Use string lights and lanterns for soft lighting.

Hall of Legends Teacher Retirement Party

After years of brightening the lives of students, your retiring teacher is a legend in their own right. Celebrate her in style with a “Legendary” themed retirement party! Decorate the venue to feel like a grand hall of legendary icons. Go with colors like gold, black and red–and don’t forget the glitter! Go all out and invite guests to dress as their favorite legendary figure.

• Send formal, printed invitations to guests.
• Create a poster for guests to write down their most legendary moments.
• Hang black and white prints of historic icons as well as prints of the retiring teacher.
• Roll out the red carpet and create a step and repeat wall.
• Set up a photo booth for guests to replicate iconic portraits.

Congratulations to the retiring teacher in your life!

Come on down to Paper Plus in Berkeley for all of your teacher retirement party decorating needs!