When someone you know loses a loved one, it can be a very emotional time for them. It’s understandable that you would want to reach out and offer some support and kind words, but what’s the best way to do that? A sympathy card is a nice way to let someone know that you care but sending one can seem a bit intimidating.
When to Send a Sympathy Card
A sympathy card should be sent as quickly as possible after you’ve heard about a loss. If a friend calls you and tells you that their sibling passed away, send the card out right away. If you read about a friend passing in the obituaries, send a sympathy card as soon as possible.
If you are told about a death several weeks after the fact, it is still acceptable to send out a sympathy card. However, in that scenario, you should mention that you just heard about the loss, so the recipient knows it didn’t just take you weeks to get around to sending a card.
How to Address a Sympathy Card
When you are addressing a sympathy card there are a few things that you should know. First, if you are addressing it to a friend who recently lost someone, you can address it to them and their spouse, or your friend and their family. If you know the person who passed away, you would address the card to that person’s family or most immediate relative. In this case, if you’re not sure the names of the recipients, you can write something generic, like The Family of Mark Smith on the envelope.
Sending a Sympathy Gift
If you want to go above and beyond for a loved one, you can also send a sympathy gift. This can be attached to your sympathy card or be given to them at a later date. If you are wondering what type of sympathy gift to send, there are many options. You can purchase sympathy flowers or sympathy care packages to brighten someone’s day. There are also other thoughtful sympathy gift options, such as ornaments, picture frames, windchimes, teddy bears, and memorial gifts. From memorial jewelry and memorial trees to garden benches and memorial stones, you can find everything you need to lend comfort and support after a loss at The Comfort Company.