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Proper Sympathy Gift Etiquette

By Anna Williams

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Published: 29May2009
Word count: 420
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When you give a sympathy gift, there is a certain etiquette to follow. Sympathy gift etiquette should still be observed, even in a crisis. It is your responsibility to give an appropriate response with regards to gifts you receive, such as baskets, letters or flowers. 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.

Flowers Should Be Displayed

When you receive sympathy flowers, these should be displayed. It shows your appreciation towards 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. Visiting family and friends 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 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 that you should 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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