When Funeral Flowers Just Aren’t Enough
While funeral flowers may seem like the standard gift after the loss of a loved one, there are more unique and personal options available as well. Flowers are always a beautiful choice, but here are some more ideas for when you want to do something more.
Donate to your loved one’s favorite charity.
Make a donation in your loved one’s name to a cause you know they loved and supported. This is a special way to continue their legacy for years to come.
Bring or send meals.
In the face of grief, it’s always a loving gesture to nurture the family of the deceased with meals. Drop meals by with a quick hug, or have meals delivered to the home from their favorite restaurants. Keep this in mind especially in the weeks and months after the funeral, when help and visitors start to taper off.
Offer hands-on help.
Don’t assume that your loved one wants to be alone. Offer to help do some general cleaning, errands, or take them out to lunch. They might need the company, or they might even just really need the help.
Send a care package instead of funeral flowers.
Include a heartfelt note, tissues, coffee, tea, gift cards for restaurants and groceries, a soft blanket, and perhaps a candle or some soothing bubble bath. Make it personal. And perhaps send more than one. After a death in my family, a cousin arranged a schedule that we could all sign up for to send care packages to the deceased’s spouse and parents every week for several months. It was a touching way to remind them continually that support and love surrounded them.
Name a star.
There are several companies that will allow you to name a real star in honor of a loved one. This could be an incredible treasure for your loved one’s partner or parents that will last a lifetime and beyond.
Send notes and cards.
This option costs you almost nothing, but can bring comfort and peace for years to come. Write a series of notes and letters to the family of your loved one and send them often. Sometimes, after the dust of the funeral and visitors settles, the deceased’s family can start to feel forgotten. Sending notes and cards throughout the first year and even beyond reminds them that they are loved and are not alone.
