Sympathy gifts for someone dealing with grief
Posted by Sheenal Sood on
Coping with loss..
In the early days of my sister’s passing, I received a lot of flowers. Although I appreciated the lovely gesture, I’m not very good at looking after flowers and this became another thing to think about when all I wanted to do was just nothing.
An alternative to fresh flowers...
But, there were a few thoughtful gifts that my best friend sent me and two years on, I still appreciate this gesture. One was a personalised photo locket with photos of me and my sister and a photo album. Photo albums have lost their way a bit in the digital age, but this gave me something to focus on, it was easier than cutting flowers and making sure they had enough water, let’s face it I was just about managing to keep up with my own water intake. I spent any free time going through my phone, laptop and old memory stick to find photos of my sister from weddings to parties to the early days of us as children. I got these printed and at the time looking at them would make me feel really upset, I’d start crying and my heart would be full of grief all over again.
Rebuilding life alongside grief....
However more recently, I’ve gone back to that box of photos and started filling up the album and I can honestly say it’s so therapeutic. I love looking at the photos of us and recalling those precious memories and if they were all still on a memory stick or on my phone, I’d hardly see them. As for the locket necklace, I wear this everyday so I can take my sister with me wherever I go.
Helping children deal with grief...
At the peak of my grief, all I wanted to do was make sure other family members were able to remember my sister in the most delightful way, especially my seven year old nephew. Two months after she left it was his first Christmas without her, swiftly followed by his 8th birthday. This was hard, really hard. I really wanted him to smile on his birthday, although knowing that he was broken inside, and we all had to put on a brave face to try and make it special for him. My Birthday gift to him was a calendar, each month with a different picture of him and his mummy, he absolutely loved it and loved looking through all the months to remember his special mummy. Followed by that, was his first Mother’s Day without her, another hard milestone, so I gave him a cushion with my sisters photo on it and said whenever he’s missing his mummy, he can hug the cushion to remember her. He later told me that he sprayed her perfume on the cushion and he sleeps with it.
Our sympathy gifts...
This is what encouraged me to offer a range of sympathy gifts, because finding a gift to show someone you care during a difficult time isn’t easy, especially during times of loss and grievance.
Sympathy gifts are also a considerate way to show love and comfort to those dealing with loss, whether it’s a friend who’s just lost a loved one or a relative who's mourning the passing of a beloved family member, we have a range of thoughtful gifts that are both appropriate and meaningful.
Here's a few of our most thoughtful sympathy gifts:
Heart Locket Necklace with Diamond
This eye-catching locket features a small inset diamond which can hold two small photographs. You can also personalise this locket with a name up to 12 characters.
Red Rose and Carnation Bath Bouquet
Our unique bath bouquets with realistic petals are a great alternative to fresh flowers. You can add these petals into a relaxing bath for some added colour during relaxation time.
Inscribed on the front with 'Memories are Timeless', you can add your own personal message at the bottom, making this an ideal gift for anniversaries or memorials.
Personalised Memorial Photo Tea Light Holder
Light a candle for a loved one with this special personalised photo memorial wooden tea light holder. You can upload any photo to make this tealight holder glow in someones memory.
Personalised In Loving Memory Jar
This personalised candle jar is a beautiful way to remember a loved one, you can personalise the message on the front with three lines of text including the name and a small message.
It's difficult when all you want to do is hug the person that's no longer here. Add a photo of a loved one to this cushion which can help offer some comfort when you're feeling really down.
My personal favourite, in this book Megan Devine offers a new approach to accepting grief and helps guide you through the different emotions of grief. She debunks the culturally prescribed goal of returning to a normal, "happy" life, replacing it with a far healthier middle path, one that invites us to build a life alongside grief rather than seeking to overcome it. Hence the reason for me setting up this gifting website.
