Gifts To Help Someone Who’s Grieving a Loved One

Grieving a loved one is a long, hard process. Someone we love has lost someone they loved, and their world has flipped on its axis. Everyone grieves differently, which means everyone needs support differently, and sometimes we don’t know how to offer the specific support they need. Often, the best way to support someone who’s grieving is to use their love language. For example, some people feel most loved through physical affection, so hugging them would help them feel better and remind them that you’re there for them. Others experience love through gifts. Even if your loved one doesn’t typically have a gifts-oriented love language, the right gift can still help them feel seen and supported. Keep reading to learn more about some gifts to help someone who’s grieving a loved one.

Memorial Gifts

There are five stages of grief that people experience after the loss of a loved one: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Most people do not experience these stages in this exact order and can experience them more than once. As we love and support our loved one in their grief, we can help them through these stages. One way to do that is with memorial gifts. Memorial gifts, such as a flower vase or candle holder with inscriptions about life and loss, remind the recipient that you care about what they’re going through and that, eventually, they will work towards acceptance.

Personalized Gifts

To fully recognize the loss your loved one is experiencing, consider giving them a personalized gift. Give your loved one a personalized gift in remembrance of the person who died and their relationship with your loved one. Doing so recognizes the depth of the loss and that the love they shared is still very much alive. Some personalized gifts, such as turning the deceased person’s shirt into a pillow, will require coordination with your loved one, so you probably won’t be able to surprise them. Though the point of this gift isn’t the surprise, it’s the thoughtfulness you put into it and the comfort it brings the grieving person.

Comforting Gifts

Many people find comfort in religious, spiritual, and wellness practices after losing a loved one. Gifting them something that will help them experience this comfort is a good way to recognize the process they’re going through. You could gift them a journal and inscribe encouraging Bible verses in the front, if you know what they might find comforting. Or you can give them something more general, such as a self-help book about grief or a white noise machine for better meditation. Whatever you gift them, make sure it aligns with their beliefs. The last thing a grieving person wants is to have to decide what to do with a well-meaning gift they don’t want or can’t use.

There are many gift ideas for someone who’s grieving a loved one, and each offers a unique opportunity for you to support them in their loss. If your loved one doesn’t typically like gifts, consider something less physical than the ones described above, such as a gift card for a food delivery service. These practical gifts can be just as comforting, and they’re a good way to help someone through this difficult time.