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January 7, 2010 | In: Sympathy Gifts
When people take the time to send a family member a token of their sympathy, it is only proper to acknowledge their efforts to console you and your family. Sympathy gift etiquette should always be observed, even in a crisis.
Flowers Should Be Displayed
When you receive sympathy flowers, these should be displayed. It shows your appreciation toward the gesture. Depending on the situation, you can place them at home, in a hospital room, or at the cemetery. When the person sees the flowers they sent in use, they will be very happy. If you are overwhelmed with the volume of flowers you receive from various people, you can replace the display every other day. When family and friends visit, they can also bring some back with them, for their own homes.
Keeping Track of Sympathy Gifts
It is proper sympathy gift etiquette to remember those who send their regards. One way to do this is to keep the card or tag that comes with the basket or flowers. You can store these in a designated place. To keep track of addresses, keep the sympathy cards in their envelopes. That way you’ll be able to send your thank you notes to the proper addresses. When it’s time to send thank-you notes, simply bring out the tags and cards.
Don’t Forget to Say Thank You
One aspect of sympathy gift etiquette is to send the giver some acknowledgment. You don’t need to write a long letter stating how much you appreciate the gesture. A short note will do. Keep it short and sweet. You can create a uniform format to use – there is no need to write something special for each note. People will generally understand that you have other things on your mind at the moment. While you don’t need to write something elaborate, you should still address the person properly. And at the very least, you should personally sign each note.
These are just some aspects of sympathy gift etiquette to keep in mind. No matter how much you are suffering during a time of grief, it unfortunately doesn’t excuse you from your role in society. When people go out of their way to send something, to show their concern for you, you must reciprocate properly. Even a simple “thank you” note can mean a lot.
Anna Williams is a webmaster, a blogger, a photographer, and a poet. Her blog, In Loving Memory Poems, contains poetry written in memory of loved ones, funeral poems, and poems of bereavement. For more information on sympathy gifts, and for ideas on proper sympathy gifts to give during troubled times, please visit Sympathy Gifts.
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