Ultimate Guide to Condolences Flowers To Express Gratitude And Sympathy
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While it would be lovely if everyone only had positive experiences in their life, this isn’t the case for most people. Many people will deal with problems like job loss, medical emergencies, losing a pet or family member, or other difficult situations.
If a friend, family member, or coworker experiences one of these issues, the kind thing to do is show your sympathy and offer your support in these difficult times. There are many ways to do this, but one of the best is sending flowers.
However, there is an etiquette to sending sympathy flowers that you need to keep in mind. Without any further ado, this article is going to serve as a guide for sending condolences flowers to show your sympathy.
Choose the Right Flowers
The first step is to choose the right flowers, of course. There are thousands of different flower varieties out there, in different shapes, sizes, colors, and scents. However, many of them simply won’t be appropriate or won’t fit a sad or difficult situation like this.
Some of the most popular flowers for expressing sympathy are orchids, white roses, lilies, and hydrangeas, just to name a few. These are commonly seen at funerals, in hospitals, or to show support for someone struggling.
You want flowers that look beautiful, but are often neutral or darker in their appearance. Bright and happy flowers can surely brighten the mood and can lift spirits, but some people might not be ready for that yet. While you want to think about how the flowers look, you should also look at their meaning.
Giving flowers with meanings that relate to sympathy or sorrow is often a safe bet and will ensure the flowers are appreciated. If you give the wrong flower, it can certainly send mixed signals. For example, red roses often signify love and passion, so giving them in a sympathetic situation or occasion might be a little awkward.
Be Careful About the Size of the Arrangement
When sending sympathy flowers, it is always a good idea to think about the size. In most cases, it is better to send a smaller arrangement or bouquet than a large one. This will still get your message across and show you are thinking of someone, without having to take up a ton of potentially useful space.
This is especially true if the individual lives somewhere small, or is in the hospital. A giant arrangement can take up a large portion of the available room in the hospital, and make getting around difficult.
There are many beautiful bouquet ideas that can be sleek and small, while still looking incredible. There is no need for a massive arrangement in many cases, and it will simply not allow room to display the other gifts and flowers the individual got from others.
Know Where to Send Them
Knowing where to send the sympathy flowers is another important part of the process. Sometimes it is fine to send them to someone’s house, but don’t always assume this is okay. Other places you may be able to send them are the hospital, to the office, to a family member’s home, or even to the funeral itself if someone has passed away.
Before sending them somewhere that you assume they should go, reach out to somebody and make sure. It’s no use sending flowers somewhere where there is nobody to receive them. Also, some people may not want flowers at all, so it couldn’t hurt to make sure they are desired or appropriate ahead of time.
The Best Time to Send Sympathy Flowers
Another consideration to make in this process of sending sympathy flowers is to think about when the best time to send them is. In many cases, people will send flowers as soon as they learn about the lost job, injury, or death in the family. This ensures the gift will get to them quickly, and show the person you are thinking about them.
However, there is nothing wrong with waiting a little while to send flowers, too. In fact, if you wait a little while, the flowers might have more meaning. There is a good chance people will send gifts and flowers immediately, so yours will be one of many. But if you wait a while, your gift may arise once all the other flowers have wilted, and can lift a person’s spirits once again.
Whenever you send flowers to someone, it shows that you care and are thinking about them, whether they are sent immediately after learning about the events, or a week later. Now, if you wait months and months, it might be a bad look and seem like you forgot entirely. But a week or two is generally completely fine and nothing to worry about.
Consider Adding a Note or Message
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While flowers themselves are beautiful, they can be a little impersonal at times. For example, nothing will generally set apart the white roses you gave someone vs. the white roses someone else did. If a person received a dozen bouquets, they may have trouble remembering who gave them what.
If you want to give these flowers a little more meaning and make things a little more personal, you can add a note or message into the arrangement or bouquet. This ensures they will never forget who they came from, and will think of you every time they see and look at the flowers.
When it comes to what to write on a sympathy note, you have a lot of options. It could be a quick and kind note of encouragement, or a longer piece that brings in stories and moments from your history with this person. The choice is yours and depends on who the individual is to you, and how well you know them.
Also, things like calling or sending a text to the impacted individual or their family is a good idea to show your support and offer your condolences.
We hope this guide has been able to help you choose appropriate flowers for expressing sympathy and offering your condolences.
I really appreciate you sharing this. This can be a tough thing to go through.