It can be hard to know how to support a friend who has lost a loved one. When they have cremation services in Baltimore, MD for that person, you can attend the services (if they are open to the public) to show your support, but you might feel like you want to do something more. For traditional services, many people automatically send flowers or a plant, which is a beautiful, appreciated sentiment. But if you want to do something different, there are other options to consider. Here are some of the sympathy gifts that you might think about sending instead:

Charitable Gifts

Next to flowers or plants, this is the most popular gift. You can send a sympathy card and, inside a check. Or, you can send something directly to a charity in someone’s name and inform the family that you have done so. In many cases, the family will designate a certain charity to honor their loved one. If they haven’t, you can choose one or you can send the family a check and let them send the money on to whatever charity they pick later.

Meals

There are a number of ways to provide meals for a family in grief. Many people make casseroles and other things and deliver it to the family. If this is a coordinated effort, with certain people bringing things on certain days, it can be very nice. Otherwise, it can get overwhelming to have a lot of food at once and perhaps little appetite. You can also do other things for the family in way of meals. Provide them with gift cards for places that deliver or for nearby restaurants that can help them get out among others for a bit.

Time

If you don’t have a lot of money to spare, you can still do something for those who are mourning. The gift of time is one of the most precious things to give. You can do a number of things with your time to help someone in mourning. You can mow their lawn, clean their house, run errands, take kids to activities, babysit, or do any number of other things. They have a lot of everyday tasks that might be piling up and getting neglected as they grieve and plan final services. With your time, you can help, even a little bit.

If you need more ideas for things to send to a friend when they have lost a loved one, contact the place holding the cremation services in Baltimore, MD for help. The professionals at Hari P. Close Funeral Service, P.A. are always willing to give ideas. We help arrange final services to honor the deceased, but we also help those who are supporting the bereaved. Give us a call at (410) 327-3100 and we’ll brainstorm ideas over the phone with you. You can also visit us in person at 5126 Belair Rd Baltimore, MD 21206 and we can show you around, talk about your friend, and figure out a good way for you to help.