Flowers are fine, but these gifts are great!
August 12, 2022
Sometimes a bouquet of flowers and a card doesn’t quite feel like enough when sharing sympathy for a loved one who has recently lost someone. As much as it’s a lovely gesture, when everyone sends flowers and a card it can end up getting lost in a giant display that just takes up a lot of space in someone’s home. Knowing the best way to show someone just how much you care can be difficult when it comes to loss. You don’t want to overwhelm someone going through grief but you also want to scoop them up, hug them tight and never let them go!
So we’ve put together some unique gift ideas for you to show them just how much you care respectfully, meaningfully, and gracefully.
Food & Essentials
When someone’s going through grief they don’t always prioritise their own health and well-being. They also can be so emotionally drained that going out to the shops to get food and essentials can be the last thing on their minds. So, it can be very helpful to sort this out for them. Turning up with their favourite homemade meal and a bag of essentials (or leaving them on the doorstep if they’re not ready to see you) is such a thoughtful gesture. Not only does this show how much you care but it will also really benefit them.
Comfort Hampers
The sadness experienced through loss can be made a little easier with the right comfort. Comfort hampers can be a lovely gift to encourage a bit of self-love at one of the most difficult times. Sometimes grief makes you want to be alone and therefore not seek comfort from others, but we can always find reassurance in items that provide us with comfort. This could be things like a weighted blanket, an aromatherapy kit, pampering products or chocolates and sweet treats.
Donations & Cause Supports
This is a very meaningful and practical way to offer much needed financial support to charities or organisations that benefitted the deceased person when they were alive. You could provide this support through donations, volunteering or even raising additional awareness through fundraising events in memory.
Funeral Service Support
A funeral can be the most difficult event anyone has to organise. When people are experiencing grief they are usually suffering both emotionally and physically so the organisational requirements of a funeral can be overwhelming. A great way to show how much you care, while providing some relief, is to offer to handle some of the funeral arrangements. This could be in the form of logistical support but you could also make donations to help them pay for things as funerals can be very expensive!
Creative Memorials
This can be a lovely opportunity to give a thoughtful and meaningful gift. You could get creative yourself with a homemade memorial like a photo album or collage for maximum effort. Or you could think outside the box with a unique gift. We love the idea of a Memorial Tree! Your loved one can plant this in a special place, scatter ashes there, and visit to pay respects to the person they lost while connecting with nature.
Keepsakes
These are special items that someone can keep with them at all times which holds the memory of the person they have lost. Some heart-felt ideas are things like photograph key chains, or even specialised sympathy jewellery that can enclose ashes to allow a person to always feel close to their loved one.
Childcare & Eldercare
Normal life responsibilities can become very challenging to deal with when going through a recent loss. Another caring and practical gift is supporting a person with their child or elder care by either giving your time or funding external help to take this huge responsibility off their hands, even if just for a few weeks.
Bereavement Counselling
Bereavement counselling can be a huge benefit to someone experiencing grief in the early stages and as a form of long-term support. Free counselling services often have long waiting-lists so going private and funding a few seasons for someone that you care about can really help them in getting the emotional support they need. This is a great idea for someone who is ready to receive this kind of support so make sure to check with the person first if it’s something they would like to try.
We hope this has given you a few ideas for some gifts and support you might not have thought of before. There are many other ways you can show someone you care after they have experienced a loss. And if they have respect, meaning, and grace at the heart, they will usually be just what the person needs! Check out some of the places we love for more ideas:
With love,
GG x