Sympathy Gift Ideas for a Loved One Grieving

"The dew of compassion is a tear." - Lord Byron

Mourning the loss of a loved one is an incredibly difficult and lonely time in a person's life. The best gift you can offer is your time: cook their favourite food, attend to daily chores, be a shoulder to cry on while they make room for the grieving process.   

Unfortunately, we cannot always be there and nothing will take the place of their loved one. These gift ideas will let them know you are thinking of them and express your sympathy in a special way.  

Sympathy gift baskets and hampers

Sympathy gift baskets and hampers filled with gourmet food and snacks can be comforting in times of grief and loss. You can create a DIY gift hamper filled with items you know the person likes. Such as fruit, biscuits, chocolates, healthy snacks, cheese and cold  meats. Another gift hamper idea is a self care pack filled with face masks, magazines, body scrubs, body lotions, scented candles and bath salts.  If DIY isn't for you, organise an online hamper or gift box to be delivered direct to their door.

31 days of kind notes

Send your favourite inspirational quotes or write personalised handwritten quotes showing all the love you have in your heart and how much they mean to you on paper. Include sincere messages as well to show you're thinking of them. 

Houseplants

Houseplants are small gestures that can be comforting and symbolic to your grieving loved one. A majority of houseplants that require little maintenance and not much water include succulents and zebra cactus. A houseplant is a wonderful alternative idea from flowers and can be enjoyed for longer. 

Adult colouring books

Studies have shown that colouring books is a therapeutic way to help with anxiety and depression. Throughout a person's grieving process they may experience these emotions and this calming activity can help ease those symptoms while taking their mind off things by focusing on the task at hand. 

Offer to do housework

Depending on how close you are to the person grieving, you can offer to do the housework over a few months. This caring gesture will help take the pressure off with cleaning the house and will be a weight lifted. 

Meals

If you're stuck on what to send your grieving loved one, a home cooked meal or ready made meals is a thoughtful and comforting gesture that will help with the stress of food shopping and cooking. You might consider a gift card for their favourite restaurant or pay for weeks worth of groceries. 

Personalised candles 

Even the smallest flickering of a candle can radiate hope and enough power to light a darkened room. When a friend or loved one is grieving, a personalised candle can make a great gift. For those who live alone, this is a great idea. For those who are married but have lost their life partner, this gift can add comfort and connection that is often lost after losing someone close to you. 

Scrapbook

The void left behind is often filled with memories of that person. Create a scrapbook together to cherish and celebrate your memories with friends and loved ones. Scrapbooks can be filled with photos, stories, mementos, and more to make room for new memories of life after loss. There are online companies who specialise in digital albums too.

Personalised Jewellery 

Jewellery is beautiful and sentimental. Not only is it functional, but it is also a perfect gift. A jewellery gift for someone who has lost a loved one shows that you care about the small, everyday reminders that pop up in your conversations and that you really do remember your loved one.

Memory photo blanket

This is a great gesture for a few months down the road when you feel like comforting a grieving loved one. Select photos of the deceased, include photos with family and friends, travel, hobbies, throughout the years and create a custom blanket they can hold onto forever and cherish the special memories. 

A custom pencil portrait

Find a photo of their loved one and create a pencil portrait that they can keep forever. Not sure where to source the artists and businesses? Search on Etsy, social media or Google people who specialise in creating a pencil portrait. 

Wind Chimes

A wind chime is a great way to express your sympathy and think outside the box with a gift idea. You can personalise the wind chime with the deceased's name engraved at the top or quote. Your grieving loved one will remember them everyday and when the wind blows, the soothing sound of the chimes is a "hello" from heaven.

If you have a loved one experiencing grief these sympathy gift ideas are a unique way to express your condolences and help them through difficult times.  No matter which gift idea you decide at the end of the day it's the thought that counts. 

"Tears are the silent language of grief." - Voltaire

By Jack Kennedy