Should I Bring Sympathy Gifts To Funeral Receptions?

Naturally, no one likes to think about death and dying. But, unfortunately, it’s part of life. If a friend or loved one dies, and you decide to attend the funeral service, is it appropriate to bring sympathy gifts with you for the family? What kind of etiquette is involved?

Let’s take a look at memorial services and funerals, some surrounding etiquette, and the giving of memorial gifts.

First and foremost, is a funeral the right place for giving a gift?

Funerals and Sympathy Gifts

The questions of “should I” and “can I” differ greatly.

You are not in any way, shape, or form obligated to bring a sympathy gift with you to a funeral. However, it’s nice not to arrive empty handed for this important occasion, especially if you and the family (of the deceased) are/were very close. This is one reason why funeral gifts usually consist of flowers. It can be a heartwarming, beautiful, yet simple gesture, to send a bouquet of flowers to show you care.

Flowers aren’t for everybody, however – despite their traditional nature. In fact, because they’re going to decay, many people prefer flowers not be given. This is usually stipulated in the obituary or somewhere else.

Memorial Gifts

With flowers, it can range anywhere from a single rose to an entire spray or bouquet. But if flowers aren’t in the picture, some families appreciate a variety of memorial gift alternatives. It’s easy to bring small memorial gifts to a funeral. Here are some suggestions:

• Food
• A gift certificate
• A sympathy card
• Bouquet or single flower (as already mentioned)
• A notation that money has been given to a nonprofit, charity, not-for-profit organization in remembrance or in honor of the deceased. Sometimes, these organizations are already noted by the family – or as the wishes of the deceased – in an obituary.

Imaginative Memorial Gift Ideas

Particularly if you can’t attend the funeral, you may wish to send a memorial gift to the family. These are on a more imaginative basis:

• Memorial jewelry (this can read something like “grandma, sister, dad, etc.” and have a little saying such as “forever in our hearts”)
• Photo album (as an example, a maple and rosewood photo album can be engraved with dates, name, etc.)
• Memorial wreath (a sympathy wreath conveys calmness, grace, serenity, and more, depending on the flowers/materials you choose)
• Memorial stone (for a yard, garden, walkway, etc., you may consider a decorative memorial garden stone with a meaningful saying accompanied by butterflies, leaves, etc.)
• Memorial/personalized birdfeeder (especially if the deceased was a nature lover, a birdfeeder is usually made of wood. The glass, which holds the seed inside the feeder, can be engraved with a picture, name, dates, etc.)

American Heritage Cemetery Funeral Home Crematory

At American Heritage Cemetery Funeral Home Crematory, we know it can be difficult to grieve, plan a funeral, handle those who offer their condolences, and all of the other aspects involved with the death of a friend or loved one. To commemorate your loved one, we can help you create a meaningful funeral service.

Please, contact us today regarding the services we offer.