Alternative Sympathy Gifts for Flower-Free Funerals
By Space Coast Daily // December 23, 2019
When someone sadly passes away, it’s traditional to send flowers either to the family or to the funeral home. However, flowers aren’t always appropriate.
Many families now ask for donations to be made ‘in lieu of flowers’ to a charity that was important to the deceased, or an organization that helped them in life. Check with the family or funeral home.
There’s also a range of other tokens and gifts you can send instead. Here are a few ideas. If you do want to send flowers, check out 1stop Florists.
Tree/Plant
Trees and plants are a great alternative to flowers as they have a similar effect but last a much longer time. If you plant a tree in a public place, the family can visit it years into the future and watch it grow, even long after their relative has passed.
If the tree is planted in their garden, they will have it with them for as long as they’re in the home. As many houses are passed down through families, a memorial tree could remain with the family for generations.
Before you buy anything, make sure the family has space in their garden for a tree, or something smaller if necessary. You don’t want to make an already difficult situation worse by giving them something they can’t use.
Sympathy Card
If the family has requested no flowers, gifts, or donations, you can still let them know you’re thinking of them by sending a sympathy card or note. Just make sure to keep both the card style and the message appropriate for the situation – no comedy!
Photographs
If you knew the deceased person well, you’d likely have a ton of photos of them in your possession. Some of these may be photos that family members have never seen, so putting them together in an album can be a lovely way for you and the family to get together and talk about your loved one’s life and your memories of them.
As time passes, you can revisit these memories and keep your loved one with you months, and even years later.
Donation
As mentioned above, many families now ask for donations instead of gifts or flowers. If the family has specified a charity or organization they would like you to donate to, make sure your donation goes to that charity.
If no charity has been specified, but you’d still like to donate in the deceased’s name, make sure to choose something that the deceased was involved with or passionate about in life.
A Bit of TLC
Many people, when grieving, find it hard to find time for themselves and can struggle to do even everyday tasks. You can help by giving a gift such as home cleaning, a family day out, a spa day, a gift certificate, a manicure, or whatever it is that you think will be most appreciated. Even just taking a few pre-prepared meals over to their house can be a huge help.
