Helping a Grieving Friend ·

5 Nurturing Gifts to Send After a Loss

Let’s be honest - supporting a friend in grief can feel intimidating. After a friend or family member has experienced loss, it is so normal to struggle to know how to support them. What do you say or do to comfort someone who has lost so much? At some point or another, all of us will need to support a bereaved friend, and it is helpful to intentionally plan how you choose to be a support system. 

I’m here today to let you in on the secret — you don’t need all the perfect words and you don’t need answers. Here’s what you do need — an open and understanding heart, no expectations, and no timeline. If you have those things, you’ll do just fine.

Sometimes, when words fall short, a thoughtful gift can say the things your words cannot. With that in mind, we have put together a list of the top five nurturing gifts to send to a friend after loss. Some are designed to encourage self care, and others are designed to offer hope found in faith.  

Send a gift designed to encourage self care

I remember the weeks after losing my first pregnancy to miscarriage – the daily tasks of caring for myself became a burden. I struggled to cook the nutritious meals that my body desperately needed to heal, and I had no interest in caring for myself. If you are struggling to know how to support a friend in their grief, a self care gift is one of the most thoughtful and caring gifts you can give. 

Herbal Teas for Loss: There are huge benefits that can be found through high quality and well blended herbal teas. We worked with a nationally renowned herbalist to create these exclusive hand blended herbal tea blends crafted with organic, all natural herbal teas. Each ingredient in these blends are intentional – from protein and mineral rich herbs such as alfalfa and oatseed to heart opening and nerve easing herbs such as lemonbalm and St. Johnswort – these herbal tea blends are designed to give meaningful and purposeful care for a grieving body.

Essential Oil Roller for the Soul: Essential oils have become wildly popular in the last few years, but did you know that they can provide major aid in the grieving process? Each of the two scents are designed to apply to pulse points to bring care for the body after loss. They can be used to harmonize the mood, protect the soul, rejuvenate the body, and bring inspiration to the soul. 


Send a gift that includes hope found in faith

Faith in a huge part of our personal lives here at laurelbox, and we have purposefully created items that reflect comfort and hope in faith. These gifts are intentionally designed to be reminders that while the grief does not go away, we are not left alone in our losses. 

Collecting Your Tears Handkerchief: This handkerchief, featuring the verse Psalm 56:8 was the first product we designed when we launched laurelbox in 2015. The gift is so meaningful and well loved, that we have not changed it since, and it is still as poignant and powerful as ever. When a friend has lost a loved one, this scripture helps remind them that they are not alone and that their tears matter. “You keep track of all my sorrows, you have collected all my tears.” It is an affordable way to send a comforting gift! 
It Is Well with my Soul Serving Board: This well loved hymn was written in 1876 by Horatio Spafford, who wrote the lyrics after losing his four daughters in a tragic shipwreck. In the wake of such horrific loss, Spafford wrote the words to this song in the wake of his deep grief. They hold power and hope still today for believers who are in mourning, and bring comfort and solace in life’s darkest moments. This heirloom quality serving board is inscribed with these famous words, “It is well with my soul,” and is handmade of American sourced maple lumber.  

I Will Sustain You Tea Towel + Mug: Our I Will Sustain You tea towel and mug feature Isaiah 46:4 – “I will sustain you.” This verse is a meaningful verse of comfort for believers who are grieving, as it provides hope that they are not left alone in their sorrow. God will walk with them. Both items are exclusively designed for laurelbox by women artists! 

 

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