How to Find Retirement Gag Gifts for a Psychologist

Faux "denial" pills

When a psychologist retires, the task of buying gag gifts to commemorate and/or roast his or her years in practice falls on colleagues, family members and friends. The task is a simple one, and a hilarious one at that. A little imagination and a healthy dose of psychological insight will make the job one of the more entertaining positions you've held in a long, long time.

Things You'll Need

• Access to Internet Reasonable proximity to local party and other retail stores Styrofoam or plastic head Shrink-wrap Blow-dryer Miniature couches Psychologist Survival Kit

Instructions

1. Know the sense of humor of the prospective retiree. Does he or she have a dry sense of humor, a "drop-on-the-floor and crack up" sense of humor, or a "laugh but really not find much humor in anything" sense of humor? Once you've determined the appropriate sense of humor, you can then determine the appropriate types of gag gifts.

2. Buy a styrofoam or plastic head. Styrofoam heads may be purchased online. Do a search for mannequins and you will find advertisements for purchasing styrofoam heads. They are also available, along with their plastic counterparts, at many art supply stores. Ask retail store owners if they have an old one you can purchase, as they are often used to display hats or sunglasses.

3. Wrap the head in shrink-wrap. Shrink-wrap is available in craft supply stores or in the craft departments of many department stores. Follow the directions on the shrink-wrap package. This will involve wrapping the head and aiming a hand-held blow-dryer at it for a stated amount of time. The shrink-wrap on the head is a great gag gift for a retiring psychologist (the slang term for psychologist can be "shrink"); and works well as a party centerpiece, too.

4. Purchase miniatures of couches at party supply stores or stores where doll furniture is sold. Again, in reference to some of the old adages about psychologists, in earlier times patients sometimes utilized couches during therapy sessions in dark and stately office settings.

5. Create a "Psychologist Survival Kit" to remind the retiree of his or her many years as a therapist. Budget101.com shares a "recipe" for those who want to create such a kit.

6. Visit websites like Wacky Planet. They have a section titled "Freudian Gifts" that features a plethora of gag gifts that are perfect for retiring psychologists. Visit local party stores for similar items. When your imagination starts to stagger or occasionally runs dry, it's good to have a bit of retail therapy to help purchase gag gifts when the one performing the actual "therapy" is about to retire.

References

• Wacky Planet: Freudian Gifts
• Budget 101