5 fun ways to celebrate your retirement

There are many traditional ways to celebrate retirement, such as gifts from loved ones or tokens of appreciation. But what if you want to celebrate your retirement some other way? Here are five unique ideas to consider when you plan your retirement celebrations.

Your retirement celebration doesn't have to be just one simple date. You can make the day of your retirement an event that you celebrate each year.

If you choose to make an annual event out of your retirement, use the day to do something special. Maybe you could attend a special dinner or indulge in a day at the spa — whatever makes you feel great.

If possible, you can include your loved ones in your plans as well.

A career can sometimes take over your whole life. As such, while you were working, you may not have had time to go on a spontaneous adventure or do something unexpected. Now that you're retired, though, doing what you've put off for years is a perfect way to celebrate being finished with work for good.

So, if you're in good health, consider something like sky-diving, zip-lining or motorcycle riding.

Or, if you're at the right stage or comfort level, consider something more casual like online dating or stand-up comedy.

Whatever you choose to do to celebrate, your retirement is the perfect time to try new experiences.

Fitness goals are often a great way to kick off your retirement. Not only do they keep you busy and give you something to work toward, they also help boost your chances of living a long and healthy life.

To kick off your journey to fitness, you could celebrate your retirement with a gym membership, or you could register for a fitness class that you always wanted to try.

Or, if you want to aim for something bigger, you could start training for a hike to the top of a mountain top or a triathlon.

The sky is the limit with fitness adventures.

Now that you have more free time, consider learning a musical instrument.

Pick up the banjo, guitar, violin, piano or some other instrument you've always wanted to learn but haven't had the time for.

Or, if you already play an instrument, maybe it's time to dust it off and start a band.

Retirement is a fantastic chance to reward yourself with an enjoyable vacation.

If you've always wanted to take a lengthy trip through Europe or to see Japan, why not kick off retirement with that trip? After all, there's no better time than retirement to partake in a thrilling vacation.

Whatever you decide to do (these are only five options out of many, after all), get creative with how you want to celebrate your retirement. Just remember that you have a lifetime of achievements to celebrate, and you should celebrate those achievements however you see fit.