It’s challenging to watch someone we care about go through a challenging situation, such as losing a loved one. You may be supporting that person by consoling them and offering kind words of support.
However, you still feel helpless. Nothing you can do will change the reality of the situation.
But there is another way you can try and ease your loved ones’ suffering. You can buy them sympathy gifts.
It’s an excellent way to show sympathy for a person without invading their space too much. If you’re unsure about what to purchase, take a look at a few of our sympathy gift ideas below.
Send a Sympathy Card
If you can’t be there for a person physically, you can never go wrong with a card when trying to express sympathy. Although it’s a simple gesture, it may mean a lot to the person receiving it.
They need as much support as possible. By sending that person a card, they’ll be able to read your supportive and uplifting words as much as they need to.
Memorial Jewelry
Losing a loved one means losing their physical presence. If they were a particularly supportive person for the individual in mourning, they could still be by their side through memorial jewelry.
If the individual that passed on was cremated, seek permission from your loved one to put their ashes into jewelry. You could also have their name and date engraved on a piece. That way, although life was lost, you can still keep their memory alive.
Send Funeral Flowers
Flowers are perfect for any occasion because they can help brighten anyone’s mood. Don’t worry about the fact that it may seem like a cliché.
Instead, choose a set of bunches you feel expresses your sympathy in a profound way. If you’re unsure which flowers to choose, visit 800Florals funeral flowers.
However, before sending flowers, ensure that you aren’t offending anyone. Some religions and cultures don’t see flowers as an appropriate gift. But if there are no issues, show your support with a beautiful bunch.
Plant a Memorial Tree
Trees have always symbolized life and death, as we see each year when the seasons change. But they are also great sympathy gifts to give to a person in mourning.
Since they need a certain amount of care during the initial stages, it can help make an individual’s mind off of their current situation. Also, trees will last for generations, which can also provide comfort throughout the transition.
Books on Grief
Grief hits everyone differently, especially when someone’s going through a loss for the first time. There are typically five stages of grief:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Each stage comes with rigorous emotions that a person has to deal with independently. However, you can mitigate the pressure by gifting them a book on grief.
All questions may not get answered, but these books can provide comfort in a way you may not be able to. It may be the light that your friend or relative is looking for to get through their situation.
Spa Treatment
As your loved one is going through a tough time, they’ve likely built up a lot of tension and stress over the last few weeks. So why not send them away for a spa treatment?
These treatments come with benefits such as:
- Lowering your blood pressure
- Easing stress
- Reducing pain
- Aiding relaxing
It may not be a traditional sympathy gift. However, it’s a thoughtful gift that can help get your loved one’s life back on track.
Organize Their Home
Throughout this challenging period, a person in mourning may neglect themselves, their home, or dependants. There is no timetable for grief, which means they could continue ignoring their livelihood.
However, ease their burden by hiring a housekeeper or professional organizer. They can take care of the necessities of your loved ones for the time being until they start feeling like themselves again.
Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are gifts usually saved for landmark events. But you can also use them to uplift a person’s spirits.
Try filling it with objects you know your loved one will enjoy, such as:
- Snacks
- Arts & crafts
- Perfumes
- Books
Sympathy gifts don’t need to break the bank. So don’t second guess yourself too much when sending your gift basket.
Photo Album
Photo albums may seem like a thing of the past since most pictures we take are saved on our devices. However, you can still print the physical copies of these pictures.
Various services allow you to turn digital pictures into complete photo albums. Take your loved one’s favorite images of the person their mourning and create a collection they can view anytime.
A star in their name
What could be more beautiful than a gift for eternity? Naming a star after the deceased is a beautiful and very thoughtful way to honor their life. You can get a beautiful gift kit at sites like Starregister.org, which
Charitable Donation
Understandably it can be challenging to figure out what gift to send to a hurting person. However, a sympathy gift doesn’t always have to be physical.
Does your loved one have a charity they run or are a significant part of? If so, make a meaningful contribution to their cause.
How much should you donate? There’s no monetary value that you could place on a person’s life. So don’t feel like you need to go above and beyond.
Ensure to donate as much as your circumstances allow. No matter what you decide to give, your loved one will appreciate your efforts.
Offer Extra Help
While a person is dealing with grief, they’re likely to deal with other issues such as anxiety and depression. These make it more challenging for your loved ones to get things done as they try to move past their loss.
What can you do to ease their burden? Offer some assistance with their daily duties. If their home needs cleaning, take care of the most pressing tasks.
Having a home-cooked meal can also help lift a person’s spirits. You can cook meals in bulk to ensure your relative has food throughout their transition.
Suppose you don’t have time to cook in bulk. There’s the option of buying a subscription from a pre-made me service, so there’s food for the foreseeable future. Do whatever you can to lighten your loved ones’ load and show them your support.
Wind Chimes
Wind chimes are often used to drive away evil spirits and promote good luck in a person’s home. However, they also make for an excellent sympathy gift.
You can personalize them with a memorial inscription. Every time the chimes blow in the wind, your loved one can remember happy memories of the person they lost.
Weighted Blanket
Anyone dealing with losing a loved one will need extra support as they try to navigate life afterward. But with the challenges presented by grief, it can be difficult to push through certain days.
An individual can use a weighted blanket to relieve some of the emotions. They come with benefits such as:
- Improving sleep
- Reducing anxiety
- Relieving depressive symptoms
While it may not provide a quick fix to the issue, it can support your loved ones through their transition.
Unique Ornaments
Losing a loved one can be tough, even more so during the holiday season. However, you can brighten the mourner’s spirits by designing a unique ornament.
You can include a picture of the person who died or provide details about their life. Although that individual may be gone, their ornament can lift the spirits of those in mourning.
Memory Journal
Journaling is a healthy way for a person to organize their thoughts and feelings. But it’s also known to have other benefits such as:
- Relieving stress
- Calming anxiety
- Improving memory functions
- Strengthening your immune system
Anyone dealing with a loved one’s death may feel like their life is out of sorts. Gift them a memory journal to help with these feelings.
Memory journals come with writing prompts, allowing individuals to write about happy times with their loved ones. Although it may invoke some teary-eyed moments, it can help someone come to terms with death.
Give These Sympathy Gifts to Your Loved Ones
Sympathy gifts can be challenging to give because you don’t want to offend an individual that’s already suffering. However, if you need a few ideas, review our list and choose a gift that you feel is appropriate.
Remember, it isn’t about the amount of money you spend; your thoughtfulness is what will separate you from others.
Hopefully, you’ve found today’s article insightful. If so, why don’t you check out our blog for related content? We’re sure you’ll find something of interest.
