THE ART OF CONDOLENCE: SYMPATHY CARE PACKAGE

How many times have you gone to write a sympathy card and just sat there chewing the end of your pen for ages?  Although I am possibly the English language’s greatest advocate I am also aware of an unavoidable truth: sometimes words are not enough.

My cousin recently lost her father, and having been in a similar situation, I know that, although words of condolence are always appreciated, they can sometimes do more damage than good in terms of emotional stability.  It can also be extremely embarrassing to publicly burst into floods of tears repeatedly throughout the day.  So when the worst happened, and I knew she would have received a fair number of well-meaning visitors, I remembered a post by Cupcakes and Cashmere called ‘Sending Condolences.’  This inspired my sister and I to create a sympathy care package for my cousin, as a way of showing that we were thinking about her without the help of Hallmark.

The theme of our parcel revolved around self-indulgence, with the hope that some treats and luxury products might make the time until sad thoughts become happy memories a little more bearable.  

Contents

1 bottle of red wine; 1 calming bubble bath; 1 pink loofah; 1 waterproof mascara; 3 Lush soaps; 1 box of luxury tissues; 1 box of Thorntons chocolates; 1 pack a Ferrero Roches; 1 guardian angel charm from Junction 18; 1 pack of tealights from Parlane International; 1 vanilla scented candle from Parlane International.

We then filled a gift box with raffia and added a bright bunch of flowers to the collection and left the care package with my cousin’s husband along with a ‘thinking of you’ card and an unlimited offer for babysitting duty. A few days later she stopped by to tell me how much the gesture meant to her and that it had brightened up what had been an awful day.