The Gifts You Bring

Under almost all circumstances only two people will ever handle or see what you bring to a beloved once it is placed; you and a cemetery maintenance worker. Only one of the two will appreciate the gift. Due to this fact, a gift placed on a grave is the expression of extreme personal affection and an act of true love, friendship and/or honor. You do yourself great spiritual building whenever you visit a grave.  You perform a feat of deep emotional maturity when you give a gift to the dead.

Even though no one is there to accept your present, or thank you for it; even though most gifts are costly, fully 98% of all cemetery visitors bring gifts to a gravesite.

Often we all hear discouraging words concerning visits.  “The dead are not there.” “I’d rather think of him as he was in life.”  Well, let’s be real about this: they are there, indisputable. And, would you bother with any thoughts except good ones, ever?

Do not spend foolishly on decorations. All the decorations in the world will not bring anyone back.

The best gift is the gift you made by yourself. Keep an eye open when at craft stores and local flower shops for clever items to build your own decorations with.

No decoration will remain at a gravesite. If a busy cemetery did not remove decorations on a rotating schedule, within a month the grounds would become unsightly and perhaps dangerous to be on.

Do not leave anything of great value as it can be stolen or borrowed.

Consider a florist for its function as a grave keeper when you are too far away.  Most shops will mail photos of their deliveries and work.  Some maintain websites so you can perform virtual visits.

Endearment Tags (also called Beloved Tags) are paper strips or ribbon with personalized sayings written or printed on them. Seek a shop which will custom print tags and custom build floral arrangements as well. Seldom will a shop charge for custom tags. It’s the difference between a ribbon which states: ‘Beloved Friend,’ and ‘My John.’  Or, ‘In Loving Memory’ and  ‘Johnny, You’re always in my heart. Love, Jane.’

Pics are colorful plastic signs atop long picks which are placed among the flowers of a bouquet or attached to artificial pieces.

Artificial Flowers are always your best choice. They stand up to all environments and most cemeteries will not disturb them until they become unsightly – which is a long time. The meaning of an artificial rose is exactly the same as a fresh one. A rose is a rose is a rose.