Self-care is often the last thing on anyone’s mind as they go through the overwhelming process of burying a loved one and grieving. Between receiving guests and processing one’s own emotions, very little time or energy is left for anything else.
This is why self-care gifts make a practical choice as sympathy tokens. Although flowers and cards are popular choices as sympathy gifts, there are other, more practical gift options that can speak of your empathy during a most critical time.
Sympathy Gift Suggestions for Self-Care and Pampering
Fortunately, there are many types of gift items that offer relaxation and indulgence whether at home or during a short vacation. As the gift giver, you have the choice to either purchase a set or ready-made gift basket.
Some suggestions for sympathy care ggift-givingare the following:
- Bed and bath items
These gifts are perfect for staying at home and indulging in some me-time. Perhaps you could pick a comfortable throw or shawl and add in some fancy items such as body oils, body butter, bath bombs, or even a box of relaxing chamomile tea.
- A vacation opportunity or a travel set
If you can afford it, why not book a hotel room for your friend and whisk her to some place dreamy and laid-back? If not, you can gift a handy or luxury travel set instead, including items s/he cannot do without when traveling, such as a neck pillow or comfy socks.
- Meditation and relaxation gifts
Writing down one’s feelings can help anyone come to terms with their loss and move forward. This is where a grief journal can prove useful. You can also throw in a good reading material about grieving and loving after loss. If you think your friend can benefit from some physical activity, you can also book her to a yoga class or arrange for an instructor to come to her home.
The Importance of Self-Care and Stable Mental Health While Going through Grief
While physical and bodily self-care is crucial throughout the stages of bereavement, mental health care is just as important. If a family member, friend, or colleague has been through such an upheaval, the giving of sympathy gifts is no doubt a thoughtful gesture.
However, your presence can also serve as a most important token during this dark and potentially depressing period in your friend’s life.
One of the crucial components of holistic self-care is for the griever to accept his or her emotions and to express them as necessary. You can encourage this expression by simply being present and by listening to them. When the griever is already losing patience with the process, fearing that they may not be able to recover from it, you can also remind them that healing and recovery can take time.
As your family member, friend, or colleague endures the ups and downs of bereavement, you can offer practical gifts such as their favorite food item, a trip to the salon, or appropriate self-care gift items that you know they can use. This gesture speaks of your willingness to lend time and to take care of them when they need it most.
A Carefully-Chosen Self-Care Gift Makes All the Difference
A good tip when buying self-care gift sets or items is to take time to learn of the receiver’s preferences. This helps to ensure that your sympathy gift will be put to good and practical use after it has been received.
If your colleague is more into crafts and less into gourmet food items, perhaps it may be better to gift her with something art-related than a basket filled with artisanal wine and chocolates.
Nonetheless, the right receiver will appreciate unexpected surprises. The more you know of your recipient’s taste and interests, the easier it will be for you to pick the self-care sympathy gift perfect for them.
The Comfort Company offers a selection of sympathy gift items and remembrance tokens. To view some of our sympathy care packages, visit our site here.