After the loss of a loved one, you will receive help from family, friends, colleagues and even neighbours. Some will give cash, materials and services such as cooking and catering for guests, or singing. Others will assist you to organize the funeral, send you condolences messages or attend the wake and funeral.
While they may not expect you to show your gratitude to them, it is good to acknowledge how each contributed and made you bear your loss. Funeral thank you cards are one of the simplest ways of doing this.
The best time to post your funeral thank you cards is at least two or three weeks after the funeral. However, sometimes you may not have the emotional or physical strength, especially if this was a close family member. You can take your time to heal and send them whenever you feel ready.
Who should you send funeral thank you cards to?
You should thank the people who:
• Helped finance the funeral arrangements
• Sent condolence messages
• Brought or sent flowers
• Provided services during the wake or funeral service. These may include the clergy, singers and pallbearers
• Those who assisted in planning the funeral service
• Those who offered special help like babysitting, providing food, transportation or running errands
If the list is too long, break it and send the cards in manageable batches. You can also ask other family members or close friends to help.
How to select your cards
If you want to handwrite your cards, you can select pre-printed cards with space where you can write down your message. To show your personality through the card, you can pick the ones that have a verse or a quote. You can also order custom cards from an online card vendor.
The easiest way is to identify a card printer, send the message, and let him design the card for you. This way, you can include your loved one's favourite quote or verse. Some people even add a picture of the decedent on the card. You can even request the printer to print the addresses on the envelopes to make it easier for you to dispatch the cards.
How to write your card
Your message should be simple, personal and sincere. It does not have to contain many words as your readers will understand you are still finding it hard to talk about your departed kin. Two or three sentences will serve the purpose. The message can be similar for several people that you are thanking for the same thing, such as those who sent condolence messages.
Remembering who to send a card
When a loved pass away, you may receive many guests, calls and messages. There will be also several people assisting in many ways, and you may not recall what each person did. The best thing to do is to have a notebook and pen where you note any kind gesture that you will want to remember when sending your thank you cards.
Also, remember to ask your family members if they have special people they want to send cards to. You should do this as a family, and if possible, all of you should sign each card.
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