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Why are Sympathy Gifts Important?
Sympathy Gifts are a Sign of Care
There are many interesting and thoughtful sympathy gift ideas other than flowers that all have the same meaning. Sympathy gifts basically signal your care and compassion towards the receiver. They express your feelings and also work as a gesture towards giving them a helping hand. When you can’t find the right words to comfort someone, sympathy gifts always turn out to be a great idea in such a situation.
Somewhat a Source of Distraction from the Grief
Sympathy gifts are usually given on occasions like funerals. This is the time when the entire family of the deceased is in utmost shock and grief. Of course, these gifts cannot lessen the grief or the loss but they can somewhat turn out to be a way to offer consolation. Little efforts and small gifts from your side can become a big hope for someone else and this is why such gifts are very much important.
Sympathy Gifts can be Quite Purposeful Too
Sympathy gifts are very purposeful if you select the right kind for the right occasion. For example, ceramic angels, candles, etc. are suitable for a funeral. But if you are going to meet someone who just had severe injuries or an accident, then you can gift something meaningful to them, like something for entertainment purposes. In fact, even a simple sympathy card can do wonders.
Sympathy Gifts Other than Flowers for Your Loved Ones
Home Cooked Meal
At this time of grief when no one has the time to eat and take care of themselves, you can lend out a big helping hand by preparing some home-cooked meals for your loved ones. It might not feed everyone but at least you can try and do everything you can for them. We are not recommending to go for anything fancy as it doesn’t suit the occasion and it can be a tiring process for you as well. But you can always go for something quick and simple which can be made easily at home.
You can always refer to YouTube and the internet for it. Easy to bake items are also a good idea at such times. At this time of condolence, this isn’t about something delicious but about the warm feeling that someone can experience only with a home-cooked meals.
Photo Frame
If you are thinking about sympathy gift ideas other than flowers then you can consider something intimate and touch like a photo frame. It is up to you whether you want to give a photo album or just a photo frame but no matter what you choose, it will turn out to be such a nice gesture. For the recommendation, we got this set of 7 photo frames for you. These are simple wood photo frames available in different dimensions and have a sleek and simple look suitable for the occasion.
You can get the photos in hard copy according to the dimensions and get them fixed before gifting it to someone. These photo frames are a thoughtful excuse to remember all the amazing past memories that can definitely put a smile on someone’s face. You can buy this affordable photo frame set on Flipkart for Rs.239 only.
A Letter
Another interesting yet very thoughtful sympathy gift to give is a letter. You can either go for a single letter or an entire book full of it depending upon the bond you share with the recipient. This is one of the most unique and touching ways to share someone’s grief. You might not have to spend a single penny for it but penning down your feelings especially in hard times can be quite a struggle. This is why try to keep things casual and natural and just go with the flow.
You can reminisce old memories with the deceased or retell a funny story too. Keeping your letter in a lighter note would be good as you would want to cheer people up. We will recommend you to go for handwritten letters rather than printed ones as they look more personal and depict a sense of closeness too.
Charity Donation in Their Name
If you are wondering that what to send instead of flowers for sympathy then you can consider charitable donations as a post-funeral gift. Choose the kind of charity which supports wonderful work and support society so that you can make a difference in the name of the deceased. You have got so many options to choose from charitable works like cancer foundations, education foundations, Girl Child Support groups, research institutions and a lot more.
Take the deceased’s interests into consideration while making such kinds of donations in their name as it might help them in finding peace. You just can’t find a better sympathy gift than this which can inspire and enlighten so many people. What you should know is that no donation is big or small, this is all about the efforts made from your side to share the grief and pain of people.
Candles Set
While considering the sympathy gifts, you need to be really cautious as well as thoughtful. You would not want to pick something that might offend their feelings or something that seems too materialistic. In such a confusing situation, you can go for candles as an alternative to flowers. If you are picking scented candles then it would be much better. You are not only filling someone’s life with calming light but the scent works amazingly as an aromatherapy session that relaxes the mind and soul.
In fact, you can find some candles which are specially made as a condolence gift for people you love. You can buy this set of 4 richly scented candles for your loved ones in their hard times. They come with Midnight Jasmine, Lavender Fields, Vanilla Caramel and English Rose fragrances. You can buy this set on Amazon for Rs.649.
Potted Plant
One of the best sympathy gift ideas other than flowers is to give potted plants. In fact, plants have a special significance as they are a symbol of prosperity, new start and life itself. Opting for succulents would be a wonderful idea as they do not need much care and water and they can be grown easily inside your house. Also, you won’t have to worry about throwing the wilted flowers every now and then. This considerable gift option is a perfect sympathy gift and also works as a wonderful distraction too.
You can buy these 2 indoor raisin pots that come with jade plants. These cute pots not only complement your décor but also lighten up the mood. The vibrant green and yellow colours instantly uplift your mood and this is why these potted plants are perfect sympathy gifts for anyone. You can buy them on fnp.com for Rs.999.
Wind Chimes
In hard times, when the environment of the home is tensed and stressed, you can lift it up with the sound of wind chimes. Wind chimes are popular sympathy gifts and their sound and vibrations can truly help in uplifting the dull and stressed out environment of a home. To keep things simple, yet light-hearted, we picked this butterfly themed wind chimes as a sympathy gift. It comes with iron pipes that produce the sound which is very pleasant to ears.
Made out of metal, the wind chime comes with the hanging option and the golden colour truly matches the vibe of any home. Such kind of considerate and caring gifts can truly make a difference in a grieving person’s life. You can buy this butterfly themed wind chime on Home Centre for Rs.599.
Journal and Pen
One of the best sympathy gifts that we came across was this Journal and Pen combo. In difficult times when one cannot share their feelings with anyone, at least they can write it down to feel some ease at heart. So, we went for this formal set which can be multipurpose as well as suitable for the occasion too. This set is comprised of one gel pen and a diary. The diary comes with the monthly planner inside which truly makes your life way more organized and planned.
The diary has a PU leather cover with a magnetic flap and has single ruled pages inside. If you cannot think of a sentimental sympathy gift then going down the formal route won’t be a bad idea. This A5 sized diary has 192 pages inside and it is quite formal in appeal. You can buy this set of diary and pen on Oziva for Rs.699.
Adult Coloring Book for Distraction
You might not know about this but colouring comes as a productive and effective way of distraction from stress and tension. In fact, it works as a calming therapy for people who are experiencing a lot of sadness and grief in their life because of some unfortunate events. If you are looking for sympathy gifts then you should definitely opt for this Adult Colouring Book. It is comprised of animals, mandalas, paisley patterns and a lot of other interesting designs for colouring.
This one is just for the example and you have got lots and lots of other options available to choose from. You can find various themes and designs for colouring and it can be a very liberating experience too. Trying this out on a daily basis can be a great idea too. You can buy this animal-themed adult colouring book on Amazon for Rs.199.
Angel Figurine
Our final recommendation for sympathy gift ideas other than flowers is an angel figurine. These types of figurines are considered as a symbol of positive vibes and God’s blessings on us. So, giving it to someone in their hard times represents that you hope the best for them. We found this paradise angel figurine. It is made out of marble powder and resin and it is quite durable too. The figurine isn’t that big and would be perfect to keep as a showpiece on side table or coffee table.
The all-white small figurine truly represents happiness and positivity which is all someone can want in the difficult phase of their life. Even if you can't change things on your own, you can at least pray to God to make them a little easier and this angel shows the same. You can buy this figurine on amazon.in for Rs.435.
How to Pick Appropriate Sympathy Gifts?
We tried our best to provide you with information about all the appropriate sympathy gift ideas. However, it is still a question that how you should choose these gifts as per the purpose. To help you out a bit more, we are jotting down some points on sympathy gifts etiquette. This way you can always manage to pick appropriate sympathy gifts for any given occasion.
Think of the Occasion
You really need to think about the occasion before buying the sympathy gift. It can be a funeral, personal issues, some accident or something else. You should have the basic sensibility to choose the gift appropriately in such instances. In any situation, you must not forget that your gifts are a medium to share their grief and that you care deeply about them.
Make the Gifts Thoughtful
If you are not able to buy a sympathy gift then you should at least try to buy a card. You shouldn’t look completely thoughtless about the event and the grief of the people. You need not spend a fortune on buying the sympathy gift because even the simplest things can do wonder. But no matter what you choose, it must be thoughtful and relevant.
Religious Preference Should be Kept in Mind
Religious preferences can be a thing while buying sympathy gift ideas other than flowers. There can be some customs which may not allow certain gifts and you should be well aware of it. Things can be different for people with different religions like Christian, Jewish, Hindu or someone else. You can also contact their acquaintances if you are not aware about such customs and religious preferences.
Something Intangible Can Also Work
Rather than spending too much on sympathy gifts, you can simply go for such gifts which are intangible but far more valuable than materialistic items. You can lend a helping hand in all sorts of preparations and other arrangements. You should know that nothing you give is more valuable than your time for them. Moreover, you can also make some donations for the event as it can be a big help.
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Picking the Right Sympathy Gift
During a difficult time, all people want is support from friends and family to help them get through that time. So, it would be great if you get them some thoughtful gifts and even better if you can give them some of your time and help them out with whatever they're coping with. It is necessary to pick a relevant gift and you need to make sure you take the preferences of the receivers into account while picking the gift.