4 Comforting Care Packages for Those Experiencing Loss

Everyone needs a little comfort every now and then. But those who have experienced a recent loss could really use a little TLC. Sending care packages to them can’t restore what they’ve lost. But they might bring them a moment of warmth and joy.

Of course, you can’t send just anything. Care packages should be meaningful, thoughtful, and personal. And you might now know where to begin to make yours fit the bill.

People experience all types of loss, from the death of family, friends, and pets, to the loss of a home or job. You have the power to bring a little joy into the equation. Here are four comforting care packages you could send when people need them.

1. Comfort Food

Perhaps nothing communicates a wish for comfort more than comfort foods. Hearty soups, carbs, and sweets can fuel the soul as well as the body.

If you aren’t adept in the kitchen, lack time, or live too far away to deliver a hot meal, don’t despair. You can personalize a warm and welcoming sympathy gift basket with a few clicks of the mouse. It will then appear on their doorstep in no time at all.

Ordering such a gift from the right company allows you to conform to people’s diets. You don’t have to figure out how to make your grandmother’s recipes gluten free or vegan. Chefs will do the work for you.

If you are going to venture into the kitchen and drop off a food basket, think about what brings you comfort. Chances are that your friends and family will appreciate the same types of foods. And that’s a lot of warmth in a single box.

2. Physical Comfort

Food isn’t the only kind of physical comfort you can package up and deliver. There are other warm and fuzzy ways to tell those experiencing loss that they aren’t alone. You can help them with the loneliness, grief, and stress they’re likely feeling.

Consider items you enjoy curling up with on a cold day or when you’re under the weather. Fuzzy socks, soft and comfy throws, and even a great pair of pajamas seem to help. And if there are kids in the house, plush toys almost always guarantee a hug and a smile.

Loss is incredibly stressful. There are all sorts of loose ends, details, and decisions people must make even while they’re grieving. So, think about bath bombs and salts, aromatherapy lotions and candles, and herbal teas to take the edge off.

You can anticipate there will be moments when people caught up in a loss will want to curl up and hide. It’s a common human reaction to trauma. Your care package can offer them a warm escape when they need it.

3. Keepsakes and Memories

Having items to hang onto can provide comfort for a long time. In the wake of a loss, people can be consumed with grief and the practical arrangements surrounding it. It may be nice to have something they can come back to when the chaos subsides.

If those experiencing loss have gardens, consider stepping stones or bird baths with heartfelt messages on them. There are also benches and wind chimes you can have engraved with custom messaging to keep their memory alive. Send a garden center gift card where they can buy a tree or shrub to plant in their loved one’s memory.

Photos are always wonderful ways to bring happy memories back. Have them matted in beautiful frames or send a physical or digital photo album full of meaningful shots. Add upbeat commentary in captions to celebrate that life they captured.

Send a sympathy card that expresses your thoughts and memories about them and their loved ones. You can write the message or let the card say it all. Either way, you’re giving them something they can keep and read again and again.

4. Gifts that Inspire

In the wake of loss, people are forced to reset, moving onto a new chapter of a changed existence. For them, life will never be the same, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be OK. Your care package could give them what they need to endure and even flourish.

There are numerous books on the subject of dealing with loss and grief. You can look for one written by a mental healthcare professional, grief counselor, or religious author. Or, with a little research, you can probably find authors who have experienced the same type of loss under similar circumstances.

Grief journaling is an effective way for some people to work through loss.  If your loved one likes to write, consider including a journal in their care package. Journals can be blank with lined pages, or some provide prompts, such as “happiest memory” or “times that made me laugh.”

If your loved one is artistic, an art journal with unlined pages might help them work through their feelings. Place an inspirational book, a journal, and a pen or colored pencils together to create a care package. And don’t forget to include your own handwritten note of inspiration.

Sending Care When People Need It Most

Whatever type of care package you send to loved ones suffering loss, make it meaningful. You aren’t just sending them items. You’re reminding them that they aren’t alone on this journey. And that’s like sending the warmest hug you can without being there.