Category: Sympathy Cards

Why Sympathy Cards Are Important

It can be difficult to know what to say or do when a friend or relative loses a loved one. And that difficulty can be compounded when the one suffering a loss is a co-worker; someone you spend hours a day with but aren’t necessarily close to.

Sympathy cards are important because they allow us to acknowledge a deeply personal experience as unobtrusively as possible.

Sympathy cards allow us to express what we might feel too awkward to say in person. Sometimes it’s hard to know the right words, or the right time. Sympathy cards perfectly sum up the sentiment we hope to convey, offering messages of comfort and compassion that can be read whenever the bereaved is ready.

Death shouldn’t be treated like a secret or something ‘we don’t talk about’ and it can mean so much to those who are mourning to know they’re being thought of with kindness, that their loss matters and they’re not alone.

While it might be hard to read early on, the thoughtful words of a sympathy card can provide comfort as time passes and there are many who save and re-read notes of sympathy whenever they’re in need of that comfort and connection.

As a business it’s important to respect your employees as individuals. Acknowledging such a profound personal event with a thoughtful sympathy card speaks volumes about your business and how it values its employees. Gallery Collection offers a wide variety of beautiful, high-quality sympathy cards and messages of compassion that perfectly convey your offer of support and comfort during a difficult time.

Mark Twain said, ‘It’s never wrong to do the right thing’ and sending a sympathy card is a gesture that will be appreciated at a time when kindness and consideration are needed most.

Do’s and Don’ts For Sympathy Cards

The loss of a loved one is a very emotional time for most people.  What to say and do can be a very difficult morass to traverse.  You never want to offend anyone so here are a few sympathy card do’s and don’ts.

Do’s

  1. Send a sympathy card as soon as possible after hearing of a friend or colleague’s loss.  Delaying will just make their grievance longer. 
  2. Add a personal note such as “we are keeping you in our prayers” or “we are here if you need us”.
  3. Address the card to the person and their family.  You can say John Smith and family or Mary, John, and the Smith family.  Remember the whole family will be grieving and they will all appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Don’ts

  1. Don’t write I know how you feel.  This can really sound condescending.  You don’t know how they feel.  Everyone deals with loss differently and you don’t want to convey the impression that their pain is felt the same by everyone, making it insignificant.
  2. Don’t send a typed note. Sympathy cards should always be personal.  Expressing sympathy with a typed note appears cold and unfeeling.
  3. Remember if you feel uncomfortable writing something, it will come across wrong to the recipient.

Most importantly, you should keep in mind that a sympathy card should be a warm expression to help ease a person’s loss. 

Empowering Employees Through Sympathy Cards

When it comes to writing out sympathy cards for employees, some people can express their feelings with words on paper much more easily than with words in person.  Others can just get stuck and not know where or how to start.  They feel like if they write too much, it may come across like the recipient is reading a long paragraph on how sorry you are for their loss.  Yet, if they write too little, it seems as though it was a rushed sentiment, and that they did not take enough time to truly express their heart-felt thoughts. Either way, it is important to empower employees through sympathy cards regardless of the length of the message.

In the office, a sympathy card is a wonderful source of encouragement; it will make the employee feel like they are valued and are thought about on a personal level.  They are inexpensive, yet extremely rich in meaning.  Giving your employee a sympathy card simply implies “I care.”

The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult rough patches a person can go through in their lifetime. Writing a sympathy card is one of the simplest things you can do to help lift your co-worker’s spirit.  Your employee will appreciate the fact you took the time to express your feelings, and that goes a long way.

5 Helpful Tips for Writing Meaningful Sympathy Cards

Sending sympathy cards is never one of those things we like to do. We want to acknowledge a person’s passing, but we don’t always know what to write. Often times we don’t know if we are making the recipient feel better or worse. It can be challenging to say the right thing, so I provided below 5 helpful tips for writing meaningful sympathy cards...

  1. Less is sometimes more. Try to keep the message brief especially if the greeting already expresses most of what you want to say. You might end with:
    • I am so sorry for your loss
    • We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers
    • Sending prayers and hugs
    • Our sincere condolences
  2. Show appreciation. If you were familiar with the loved one, make it personal.
    • What a wonderful lady your Mom was. I am so fortunate to have had her in my life.
    • Celebrating the life of a great man and sharing in your mourning.
    • Remembering your Dad and all the funny stories he would tell.
  3. If you are in a position to do so, you may add a note offering help. Try to be specific and follow up on your offer.
    • Thinking of you at this difficult time. I’m here if you need a shoulder to lean on.
    • I know this is a difficult time. I am thinking of you and am here to help with walking the dog, babysitting and running errands. Please let me know.
    • I know things are hectic for you. I will call you to see what would be good night to drop off a meal.
  4. Close with a warm, graceful and respectful closing.
    • With sympathy
    • With warm thoughts and prayers
    • With prayer and sympathy
    • My heart goes out to you and your family
  5. What to avoid. Be sensitive and mindful.
    • I know how you feel
    • She is in a better place
    • He was so young
    • It was meant to be

If you are not sure what to say, it is best to keep it simple. Just sending a sympathy card will let the recipient know you care.

Sympathy Cards For Pet Loss

One of the hardest parts of life is losing a beloved pet.  The pain felt during this difficult time can be so devastating that many have said it is equally as painful to losing a person. After all, pets have become our family members. They provide unconditional love and support during some of life’s most difficult moments.

There is nothing like coming home after a very long and stressful day to the companionship of an animal. Sometimes all it takes is just their presence to take away life’s everyday stresses. So when the unbearable time comes when we must say goodbye to our companions, we often grieve to the same extent as when a person in our life passes away. We often turn to other pet lovers and owners who can understand our hurt and pain.

Over the past several years, sympathy cards have become more and more popular for pet loss. What better way to express our condolences to our loved ones during their difficult time than by sending a sympathy card. Sometimes a few thoughtful words can help the person grieving feel comforted. Unfortunately, I have been there a few times, and I can recall receiving a pet loss sympathy card. It has always helped me through those difficult times. All it takes is a few minutes to show someone how much you care, especially when they suffer the loss of their furry companion.

How Quickly Should I Send a Sympathy Card?

It is unfortunate when a family member, friend, acquaintance or coworker loses someone close to them.

As a caring individual, you want to share your sympathy and let them know that you are thinking about them in this trying time. You want to send a sympathy card, but how soon is too soon, and how late is too late? Take a look below for some items to consider:

How well did you know this person?

If the person is close to you, send it as soon as you can. Your sympathy card will be seen as thoughtful, even if it arrives on the early side.

On the other hand, if you are not particularly close to the individual, you may want to hold off a few days before sending a sympathy card. A card from an acquaintance may not be welcome in the first few days of grieving. To be safe, do not send the card before the funeral or service.

Sending a card by mail takes time

If you are sending a sympathy card cross country or internationally, send the card on the sooner side. If you don’t, the card may arrive past the time. However, sending a sympathy card late is better than not sending one at all.

Helping Coworkers Cope with Sympathy Cards

Sympathy cards are a wonderful way of showing a person how much you are thinking of them during their difficult period of sadness and grief. When a co-worker’s beloved friend or family member passes away, it’s only right to send them a Sympathy Card to make them feel comforted during their difficult time. I find sympathy cards to be extremely important because while they may be a small gesture at the moment, they end up being a huge comfort to the person after the initial stage of grief. While there is no time frame for grief, an elegant sympathy card, explaining how much you’re thinking of the person and their family members can go a long way. If you visit GalleryCollection.com, there are a bunch of elegant and comforting card designs with wonderful greetings such as “Our thoughts and prayers are with your during this difficult time,” and “Sincere Condolences to you and your family at this time of sorrow.” These comforting words, including your own personal words inside of the card, will be sure to show your co-worker that you care, and will allow your co-worker to cope with his or her loss, knowing that he or she has a friend in you!

Sympathy Cards Do’s and Don’ts

The loss of a loved one is a very emotional time for most people.  What to say and do can be a very difficult morass to traverse.  You never want to offend anyone so here are a few sympathy card do’s and don’ts.

Do’s

  1. Send a sympathy card as soon as possible after hearing of a friend or colleague’s loss. Delaying will just make their grievance longer.
  2. Add a personal note such as “we are keeping you in our prayers” or “we are here if you need us”.
  3. Address the card to the person and their family. You can say John Smith and family or Mary, John, and the Smith family.  Remember the whole family will be grieving and they will all appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Don’ts

  1. Don’t write I know how you feel. This can really sound condescending.  You don’t know how they feel.  Everyone deals with loss differently and you don’t want to convey the impression that their pain is felt the same by everyone, making it insignificant.
  2. Don’t send a typed note. Sympathy cards should always be personal.  Expressing sympathy with a typed note appears cold and unfeeling.
  3. Remember if you feel uncomfortable writing something, it will come across wrong to the recipient.

Most importantly, you should keep in mind that a sympathy card should be a warm expression to help ease a person’s loss.

WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME FRAME TO SEND A SYMPATHY CARD?

Expressing sympathy when a friend or a colleague has lost a loved one seems to be difficult for many people. What should I say? Should I go to the service? If I go to the wake how long should I stay?  What is the appropriate time frame to send a sympathy card? It is easy to be caught up in an internal struggle of how we should act on these occasions. We can give advice to others on all these questions but the simplest answer is, do what feels right. The simple fact that you care will be comforting to anyone.

The time frame for sending a sympathy card should be dictated by when you found out about the person’s loss. If you heard right away, say when a colleague at work is out for a death in the family, the appropriate time would be within one to two weeks. Your colleague will be most likely be back to work in that time and you don’t want the card to appear to be an afterthought as if you finally could find the time to write the card out. When you decide to send a card you should send it as close as possible to the time of loss so the person can feel this is a genuine expression of sympathy. It is also appropriate to bring a card if you are attending the wake, however, sending it a few days later is considered a good time frame.

The only time sending a sympathy card after the two week period, would be if you had just found out about the person’s loss. Sometimes we have friends who live a distance away and you may not have found out until several weeks or months later. It is then appropriate to send a sympathy card with a personal note saying you have just heard about their loss.

Many times we just don’t want to do the wrong thing and so we do nothing. It is always better to take a positive step to sincerely express your compassion and concern.  People will accept any attempt a friend takes to comfort them with an open heart. Taking the step is what is most appreciated.

Sympathy Card Etiquette

No one likes to send a sympathy card, but at some time in all of our lives, we will have to do it.  So when that time comes, you want to make sure that you say the right thing.  Writing something inside the card is never an easy task but you really don’t have to write a lot because the most important thing to remember in sympathy card writing etiquette is to simply let the family know that you are thinking about them.

But if it’s possible, try to add something personal about the deceased –something in particular that reminds you of them…a certain time you spent together, their laugh or smile, a song, etc.  Be sure to let the recipient know how you know the deceased (co-worker, friend, attended the same school, etc).

Remember, just like it is true in our everyday lives, sometimes we never know the impact we make on another person’s life and learning something new about someone who has passed away can mean so much to a family member who is grieving.