If someone close to you has lost a loved one, you may feel unsure of how to express your sympathy. The seemingly endless range of gifts can make giving a sympathy gift challenging. This is why we have curated a list of gift ideas ranging from traditional to modern.
Flower Arrangements
Sending flowers in a bouquet is a traditional way of showing sympathy. Flowers are a simple way to let the family know they are in your thoughts and prayers. If you do not wish to send flowers to the office or home address, you can also send them straight to the funeral home. Different flowers also have different meanings which creates the opportunity to gift a more personal and meaningful bouquet.
Plants
If you wish to provide a long-lasting sympathy gift, you could send a plant. Sending plants allows the bereaved to have a permanent memory of their loved one in their garden forever. Options range from native ferns to trees that hold cultural importance in New Zealand, such as camellias or kowhai. Each plant holds slightly different connotations, meaning you can provide a meaningful gift that will be treasured for years to come.
Food
Losing a loved one is a stressful time for anyone. For this reason, food is a popular sympathy gift. By gifting a home-cooked meal to a friend, you will remove some stress from their life. Your loved one will likely be busy making arrangements, and grieving people often find simple tasks difficult to complete, such as cooking. Gifting a home cooked meal or meal subscription means they have more time to spend on funeral preparations or self-care. This is especially thoughtful at a time when there are rarely enough hours in the day, but days still feel long.
Photos
When someone we love has passed on, we often wish to share memories with each other. One popular way of sharing memories is through photos. You can send photos as a book or create a photo album by hand. This thoughtful gift allows both you and the bereaved to remember the life of your loved one.
Donations
Donating to a cause that the departed believed in rather than sending flowers is growing in popularity. Donating is often compared to giving flowers. While flowers are broadly considered to be symbolic, a donation is both symbolic and has the practical benefit of supporting a cause.
Self-Care Gifts
Many people forget to look after themselves when grieving. For this reason, self-care gifts are an especially thoughtful way of expressing your sympathy. By gifting a personalised self-care gift, you express that not only do you care about the person who is grieving, but it encourages them to try to take some time out for themselves.
We understand that it can be difficult to know how to express your sympathy, we hope that these ideas are helpful. If you or a loved one is struggling with their grief, please get in touch with us to see how we can help.
