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Flowers add fragrance, color, and beauty to somber funerals and burial services. While they’re often appreciated by the bereaved in the moment, they aren’t always the most practical gift. It can add to their stress as they worry about keeping the plants alive on top of everything else they must deal with after their loss. Sending a gift they can use when they’re ready and doesn’t require any additional work on their part is a thoughtful way to express your sympathy.

6 Nonfloral Bereavement Gifts

1. Charitable Donations

Before you buy any gifts, check the obituary or funeral home website. Many families include a note of what to send in lieu of flowers or gifts. In many cases, they request family and friends to make a charitable donation to an organization in their loved one’s memory.

2. Memory Quilt

bereavement gift for funeralIf you know how to sew or know someone who does, a memory quilt is a nice way to memorialize a loved one. You can use old T-shirts, fabrics from their favorite blankets, and more to create a quilt the bereaved will cherish for years to come.

3. Candles

Candles are a thoughtful gift that can help the bereaved relax after the funeral. Choose a soothing, aromatherapy scent, or pick a smell to remind them of their loved one. Other self-care gifts are also welcome. Consider gift certificates for a massage or manicure, or send a gift basket with books, DVDs, or magazines.

4. Framed Photos

Framed photos are thoughtful gifts if you have pictures the family may not have. Select one or more of those photos and have them set in a beautiful frame they can display in their home to remember their loved one.

5. Services

It’s all too easy to let things like housework and lawn care go by the wayside following the loss of a loved one. It can be even harder when the deceased was the one who typically handled those chores. Schedule services like housecleaning or lawn care to lift some of the weight off the bereaved’s shoulders.

6. Food

Food is a common gift and the bereaved will probably have more casseroles than they know what to do with immediately after the funeral, so send food a few weeks later. You might also consider nonperishables like snacks and other items they can offer guests. Gift cards to order takeout are also a thoughtful idea.

 

Choosing the perfect gift to show your sympathy and support is not an easy task, but sending something other than flowers can do a lot for your friend or loved one in their time of need. At Porto Funeral Homes, they’ve provided funeral and burial services throughout New Haven County, CT, for over 75 years. Visit them online to learn more about memorial registry gifts or call (203) 467-3000 to speak with one of their funeral directors.

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