Because the holidays can be super tough when you are grieving…
I hope that anyone reading this doesn’t deal with massive grief during the holiday season but, truthfully, even if you don’t, you know someone who does. Over the years I’ve tried various ways to honor and remember my late sister and dad – some have been great, and some have left me missing them even more. The triggers? It can be something kind of mundane like how my dad always picked me up at JFK airport; when I land there now, I feel immediate emptiness and sadness. It can also be something bigger like having an empty seat at the dinner table on Christmas eve. Some traditions no longer feel right, and others just feel different but, either way, I encourage you to check in on your grieving friends and loved ones during the holiday season. If you don’t know what to say or do, read THIS blog post.
Btw, you can read more of my blog posts on grief HERE.
Holiday Gifts for Your Grieving Friend
Chic bath bombs
Relaxation is a must and I love the idea of gifting someone fancy bath bombs that they might not buy for themselves, like these from CHANEL and these from OUAI.
Customized garden seeds
I actually bought these customized butterfly garden seeds for my mom this year, with my late sister’s name on it. Melissa comes to us in butterfly form over the years and what a beautiful way to remember your loved one, right?
A luxe and cozy blanket
I’ve blogged about the infamous Kardashian-approved fluffy blanket many times and it truly is an amazing gift for pretty much everyone. It’s currently on sale in several color variations right now, just a heads up!
Nostalgic food
Goldbelly is genius, but I especially love that you can sort their food options by region! I go straight to the North East (growing up in New York) and my mouth waters over all the delicious NY pizza, bagels, etc. My order? My dad always made sure to stop at Junior’s Cheesecake after work to pick up a plain cheesecake for our family parties. Now I can have one sent to me in LA or, even really anywhere I end up in the country.
Custom face cookie cutters
I ordered these custom face cookie cutters the Christmas after my sister died so that we could make cookies shaped as my whole family, including Melissa. My nephew LOVED these, and what a fun way to include your missing loved ones.
Honor your late pets with a custom candle
I absolutely always include late pets when I talk about grief; our animals ARE family. These adorable candles can be customized with a drawing of your pet, their name, important dates, etc. What a great way to remember them during the holiday season, their birthday, death anniversary, etc.
A handwriting ornament
I love a thoughtful handwriting gift for anyone who is grieving; all you need is an old birthday card, note, etc. and it can be printed on a gorgeous Christmas tree ornament. They also make for a great gift to give out to more than one person missing that loved one.
A locket
Personally, I don’t love the look of most lockets but this gold oval croissant locket is just so chic and would make an amazing grief gift.
An art kit
Experts say that art therapy can be really effective in helping with grief, so I love the idea of gifting a cute little pottery kit. This one from Sculp’d has everything you need to create a few pinch pots or mini vases, trays, etc.
A remembrance casting heart
This casting heart is such a unique grief gift idea, especially for anyone with a connection to the beach or water. This clay memorial comes with paper and a pencil so you can write a message that you’ll tuck into the earthen clay heart. You then cast the heart out into the water as a celebration of a life well lived, and a healing ceremony of letting go for family and friends. The smaller keepsake piece features a space to write in a name or date and is meant to stay with you forever—just like your memories. And FYI- paper and clay are water-soluble and non-toxic to protect oceans and waterways, so you don’t need to worry about harming ocean life.
A custom Yahrzeit candle set
For anyone grieving who is Jewish, this custom Yahrzeit candle set IS the perfect gift. The lighting of the Yahrzeit candle is an important practice in the Jewish faith, where family members light a candle for 24 hours on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. Paired perfectly with chic apothecary matches, this gift is a treasured way to honor the ritual of lighting a candle.
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