No one will ever go through their life without experiencing bereavement. You may lose someone close to you, or someone close to you may lose someone they love. In either instance, a loss is going to impact you at some time in your life.
When someone you love is going through a terrible tragedy, such as losing a parent or sibling, it can be hard to know what to do. You can do nothing to ease their grief, even if you desperately want to. The same happens when you go through grief too – no one knows how to help you.
The best thing you can often do is find the best bereavement gifts that show you care. While the gesture can do nothing to ease their pain or suffering, it can go a long way to let them know they in your thoughts.
The next hard part, apart from trying to offer your support, is knowing what bereavement gift to buy. It has to symbolize something heartwarming while being useful at the same time. Here are a few options below.
Living Plants
Many people see bouquets of flowers as some of the best bereavement gifts money can buy. However, flowers will eventually die. Your friend or family member now not only has someone close to them die but dead flowers too. Living plants such as trees and shrubs in gift boxes symbolize life. The recipient can plant them and watch them grow in memory of someone they loved and lost.
Some of the most appropriate living plants are olive trees, Peace Lily, Orchids, and most green plants. You can also utilize a living plant supplier service or present something yourself.
Homecooked Meals
Every year, over 55 million people die. Such loss equates to millions of heartbroken people left with great, gaping holes in their lives. In times of hardship, sorrow, and sheer devastation, food can be quite comforting. While those who are experiencing a loss may not feel like eating, it can be helpful for them to have something to grab from the fridge when they don’t feel like cooking.
Some excellent food options to make for grieving people include chicken pot pie, steak pie, macaroni and cheese, tuna noodle casserole, Shepherd’s pie, meatballs, meatloaf, and lasagna. They are quick and easy to make, but hearty for a whole family suffering a loss. Homecooked meals symbolize comfort and familiarity when you need it the most.
Baking
If cooking food fit for a grieving family or individual is not your strong point, then another excellent bereavement gift is baking. Nothing shows you care more than a freshly-baked tray of muffins, cookies, or a lovingly prepared cake.
You don’t have to be an expert baker to create such a treat, and it can mean you don’t need to show up to their home to show your respects empty-handed. Homebaked goods symbolize warmth and homeliness.
Housecleaning Vouchers
If you can think back to the time you experienced your own bereavement, you might remember the complete chaos that ensued. Family travel from all around the country – and even the world, and makeshift beds end up all over your home. After everyone returns home following the funeral, you are left with a big mess and not a lot of motivation to clean.
Why not let someone else clean the house from top to bottom? Housecleaning vouchers are some of the best bereavement gifts. They take all the pressure off the homeowner to deliver a well-presented home for people visiting to pay their respects. They can take the voucher, exchange it for the service, and enjoy that little bit of peace of mind on offer.
If you don’t know how much to preload onto the voucher or gift card, then ask the cleaning company what the average would be, or what their full cleaning service and extras cost. A house cleaning symbol symbolizes starting again, picking up your life and trying to move on.
Care Packages
Sometimes, nothing stands out to you as the best bereavement gift. In situations like that, care packages become the ‘go-to’ bereavement gift of choice. You can make care packages yourself, or get local florists and gift shops to put them together for you.
Normally, they feature sweet treats, calming beauty products like bath salts and soaps, and even candles. The best part is, you can customize the packages to suit the person who will receive it. A care package can symbolize care and peace.
Conclusion
It will feel like nothing you offer as a bereavement gift will ever be suitable. How can you possibly expect to take away the pain a loved one is feeling at losing someone close to them? You can’t, but you can offer a gesture, something to show you care and that you’re thinking about them. Any of these options above can be a valid choice.
