When someone dies, close friends and relatives are often willing to show support to the bereaved persons. There are many ways of showing sympathy and giving the family something that they can really use. There are many funeral gift ideas that you can opt for apart from flowers.
You can put together an album of photos of the deceased that the family does not have. You can compile them from your own collection, or make an extra effort of sourcing photos from other friends and relatives who may have them. You can put the photos in a CD or print them out.
You can make a donation in honor of the deceased person. This could be to one of their favorite charities or causes they were committed to. Most organizations send an acknowledgement to the family members when a donation is made in memory of their loved one. Just make sure to include the address of the family at the back of your check.
Consider taking some food to the bereaved. Taking some no-perishable foodstuff is a good idea, in case the family receives a lot of perishable foodstuff from other people. Also, it may be better to take the food a few days or weeks after the burial.
You can offer to clean their house or mow their lawns for them. This is because the bereaved often have a lot of activities to carry out and household tasks may be neglected. Alternatively, you can hire them a cleaning service to help them cope with the house work for a few weeks after the burial.
Consider spending time with the bereaved persons. You can visit them at home or invite them out for a meal or an activity. Explore different funeral gift ideas to give your loved ones. Apart from asking them to give you a call if they need anything, take a pro-active step and do something helpful for them.