Funeral Etiquette: Tips for Sending Acknowledgment Cards

When we lose someone who’s close to us, it’s often the presence and warmth of additional family and friends that help us on our healing journey. Acknowledgment cards are designed to share thanks with the people who celebrate and mourn the life of a loved one who’s passed. Memorial acknowledgment cards are opportunities to express your gratitude for those who made grieving a loved one feel a bit more bearable for you and your family.

At Honor You, we strive to make the pre and post-funeral arrangement process easier. Among our selection of personalized memorial products, we offer memorial acknowledgment cards. While you’re free to use our standard sympathy thank you card statement, you’re also welcome to create individualized sentiments of your own. Below, we’ve outlined appropriate funeral etiquette that includes tips for sending acknowledgment cards. If you’ve never made sympathy thank you cards before, you may be unsure where to start. With the following advice, you’ll be able to compose elegant, well-meaning notes for those who’ve supported you through your bereavement.

What Is an Acknowledgment Card?

Funeral acknowledgment cards, also known as sympathy thank you cards, intend to provide recognition to those who have supported you while mourning a recent loss. Acknowledgment notes are like tokens of gratitude for individuals that shared their condolences.

Who Do I Send an Acknowledgment Card To?

The family of the deceased typically sends these cards out to folks who have either sent sympathy cards, made sympathy meals, and shown kindness in any format during a bereavement. We’ll provide a few examples of people who you might send an acknowledgment card following funeral services for your loved one.

Examples of People Who You Might Send an Acknowledgment Card To

• People who sent bouquets of flowers
• People who sent sympathy cards
• Individuals or groups who made monetary donations to help your family manage the financial aspects of the funeral arrangement
• The pallbearers
• Folks who have supported you in other tangible ways, such as bringing you a sympathy meal, babysitting for you, or helping organize final arraignments
• Anyone who helped you or your loved one before they passed, if applicable. Perhaps there was a particularly helpful nurse or someone who assisted them in getting around. Maybe they helped your loved one find reliable transportation around town or provided physical support at home.

The list of people that you want to send a thank you card to can add up quickly. One thing you can do to keep track of everyone you’d like to send a card to is create a designated master list. Some folks forgo creating an obvious list, assuming they’ll remember everyone they want to thank.

The reality is, you may forget some folks when overwhelmed with other post-funeral responsibilities. Always jot down someone’s name when they come to mind so that you can remember to get their mailing address for a sentimental card. One resource that is also particularly helpful is the funeral register book that you put out during memorial services.

When Should I Send Out Funeral Acknowledgment Cards?

An acknowledgment card is always a thoughtful gesture, no matter how much time has passed since the death of your loved one. Typically, though, the ideal window to send out sympathy thank you cards is roughly two to three weeks after the funeral arrangements take place. Generally speaking, it’s never too late to express your appreciation to someone who helped you get through tough times.

Tips for Handling the Funeral Acknowledgment Cards

If you’ve never handled funeral acknowledgment cards yourself, you may find the task daunting at first. Consider the following tips for sending acknowledgment cards to make the process a whole lot smoother.

Break Up Your List of Recipients

When you try to knock out all your acknowledgment cards in one go, the experience might become much more overwhelming. Break down your guest list so that you can tackle a certain portion of cards per day. Creating an imaginary due date for yourself can help you commit to gradually completing the cards.

Try Not To Overthink Your Sentiments

Overthinking what you write on each note can make the process much slower, and you may end up mailing out the cards later than you’d like. You can keep each note short, sweet, and genuine. Writing one to three sentences will work fine, so long as they’re thoughtful. Each recipient is sure to feel seen and appreciated for their acts of kindness.

Include Your Full Name for Addressees You Don’t Know Well

For acknowledgment card recipients that you don’t know too well, be sure to sign your full name. This will help addressees understand what the card is for, especially if you shared your last name with the deceased. Regardless of whether you sign your full name, it’s beneficial to include the full name of the deceased on the front or inside of the card.

Don’t Shy Away From Help if You Need It

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your family if you find yourself struggling to complete the acknowledgment cards alone and on time. Because losing a loved one is a shared loss, chances are your family will be more than honored to assist in writing sympathy thank you cards.

You Can Sign for the Family if Needed

If you’re writing on behalf of your family, it’s commonplace to sign “From the family of…” You can always keep the signature portion of the card strictly to your name if the condolences were directed primarily to you.

Seek Professional Help Designing Funeral Acknowledgment Cards

Honor You designs sympathy thank you cards with the intent of making each one as unique as your deceased loved one. Our cards can match the style of any funeral program, creating a cohesive theme for all the memorial products involved with the funeral arrangements.

We also offer matching envelopes ready for you to address, making it easier to create a plan to mail out each sentimental note. To learn more about our assortment of memorial products, you can peruse our website or give us a call today.