Thoughtful Sympathy Gifts & Holiday Memorial Ornaments

Thoughtful Sympathy Gift Ideas

Special Savings for the Holidays on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and throughout December on selected gift items.

 Be sure to visit our Thoughtful Sympathy Gifts page on our website at www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com/gifts.html for special offers and discount codes!

Christian Memorial Gifts
Design Your Own Gift Baskets
Kindnotes
Memorial Gifts
Memorial Ornaments
Memorial Quilts & Throws
Memorial Trees
Military Memorial Gifts
Miscarriage/Stillbirth Memorial Gifts 
Personalized Memorial Frames
Personalized gift items
Pet Memorials
Remembrance Candles
Spa Gift Certificates
Unique Gift Items
And More…

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http://www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com/mailinglist.html

Our Newsletter includes tips, articles and inspirational stories on how to assist your friends and family members through the journey of restoring balance in their life after the death of a love one.
Plus
You will receive my FREE Special Report, “Twenty-Five Supportive Things You Can Do For Someone That Has Lost a Loved One ~ Plus Ten Thoughtful Gift Ideas”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
~Melody Beattie

May Your Thanksgiving be Filled with Many Blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving from I Did Not Know What To Say.com

Be the Gift of Comfort, Joy and Love this Holiday Season by Lori Pederson

The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone.  When you have lost a loved one, the holidays can be filled with mixed emotions of joy and sorrow.  After the loss of my mother, the first Thanksgiving and Christmas were filled with a sense of displacement.  My mother always hosted the holidays at her home.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and birthdays were always a celebration with many family and friends. 
 
After my mom passed away that all changed.  The first few years were an adjustment. I was blessed to be included in my sister’s family festivities and when my dad moved back to California we were able to start new family traditions.
 
Over the holidays my home is still filled with memories of my mother’s love for the holidays.  I have combined my new holiday decorations and traditions with some of my mom’s favorites.  Making my mom’s favorite holiday recipes each year helps me connect with her spirit and makes me feel like she is right there with me.
 
As we move into the holiday season, remember that your friends and family members that have lost a loved one may be experiencing deep feelings of loss.  Be sure to take the time to connect with them and let them know that they are loved.
 
Here are a few ways to be the gift they were hoping for this holiday season: 

• Invite your loved one to join you for your holiday gathering.  As family members pass away, traditions change and a loved one may not be able to spend the holidays with their family.  Including them in your family festivities will help ease the loneliness they may be feeling this time of year.
• Make a special date to go to dinner, have coffee, or to go shopping to have some private one-on-one time.  This special time will allow them the opportunity to talk about their feelings.
• Help them with holiday arrangements.  If they are hosting a holiday gathering, offer to help them prepare the food or offer to go shopping for them to take a little stress off of their shoulders.  Ask if they would like you to prepare a favorite food that may have been a family tradition.
• Take them out for a special day of pampering to a spa or to have a massage.  Relaxation and pampering will assist both of you with the stress of the holidays.
• Celebrate the memories of their loved one by sharing stories and going through photo albums together.  This activity will give your friend or family member the opportunity to celebrate their happy memories. 

Having the support of friends and family during the holidays can make all the difference.  So as you are making out your To Do List for the holidays, be sure to include those friends and family members that might need a little extra love and care this time of year.
 
We invite you to share your holiday stories and suggestions with us on our Blog or by email at info@ididnotknowwhattosay.com.

Be sure to visit our Thoughtful Sympathy Gifts page on our website at www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com/gifts.html for special Holiday Memorial Gift Ideas.

Holiday Memorial Ornaments – http://www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com/gifts-memorialornaments.html

 Holiday Grief Support Resources – http://www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com/Holiday_Grief_Support.html

© 2009 Lori Pederson
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:  Lori Pederson, Founder of I Did Not Know What to Say, a website built to inspire and to provide you with tools to assist a love one through the grieving process.  If you would like our free newsletter on how to assist your friends and family members through the journey of restoring balance in their life after the death of a love one, please visit our website at www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com.

Share Your Story – Inspirational Grief Support Stories

Inspirational Grief Support Stories – How Have Others Assisted You In Your Grief Recovery?

We invite you to Share Your Story on how your friends and family assisted you in restoring balance in your life after a loss. Please submit your inspirational stories, letters/cards that have reached your heart, a favorite quote or poem, an unforgettable adventure/trip, a favorite song, an inspirational movie, a book that touched your life or a list of what you wished your friends had done for you

We hope by sharing your story you will inspire others to give the gift of love and compassion to their loved ones that are grieving.

How To Submit Your Story
Stories may be submitted in writing or in video format.
Please email your story to us at:

By Email: info@ididnotknowwhattosay.com

Please include your Name, the name of the person who wrote the submission (if different) and your address, so we may contact you should we use your submission.

Your contact information will only be used to contact you should we wish to post your submission on
our website or in our upcoming book “I Did Not Know What to Say”. We will never sell your information to any third party vendor.

If your submission is used on our website or in our upcoming book “I Did Not Know What to Say”, we will be sure that both you and the author are credited for your submission. If you wish to stay anonymous, please note that on your submission. No publishing/authorship experience necessary. Authorship credit given in addition to a free copy of the book when published. No monetary compensation will be provided.

To view inspirational messages that others have contributed, please visit our Inspiration page for thoughts and ideas. New resources will be added each week.

Thank you for your contribution!

Lori

November is National Hospice/Palliative Care Month – Share Your Story

As part of National Hospice/Palliative Care Month we would like to encourage you to share your stories on how your local hospice provided compassionate care to a terminally ill loved one and/or grief support to you, your family and friends. 

Our Hospice Story

When my mother was terminally ill, our local hospice in North Hollywood, CA provided us with caring individuals that assisted my mom with daily routines.  Bernadette was one of the most compassionate and loving individuals I have ever met.  She handled my mom like she was her own mother.  What an amazing gift this woman had to be able to express such pure love for a person she barely knew.   

The individuals that dedicate themselves to helping the terminally ill and their families rarely receive the recognition and appreciation they deserve.  Families are so overwhelmed with grief that it is not until the grief has lifted that they can truly appreciate the amazing work these individuals do every day. 

For all of you that are dedicated to service through Hospice, I thank you for your amazing ability to show compassion and love every day.  Your gift is truly priceless.

 Lori Pederson

 We invite you to Share Your Story in the Comment Section below or on our Facebook page.

Don’t Miss Our I Did Not Know What To Say Monthly Newsletter

Don’t miss our monthly newsletter featuring tips, articles and inspirational stories on how to assist a loved one through the journey of restoring balance in their life after a loss.

November 2010 – Featured Article:

Six Things You Can Do for a Grieving Widow
by Marcy Kelly,  Author of From Sorrow to Dancing

To read more, Click on the link below to sign up for our Monthly Newsletter:
http://www.ididnotknowwhattosay.com/mailinglist.html

Our Newsletter includes tips, articles and inspirational stories on how to assist your friends and family members through the journey of restoring balance in their life after the death of a love one.
Plus
You will receive my FREE Special Report, “Twenty-Five Supportive Things You Can Do For Someone That Has Lost a Loved One ~ Plus Ten Thoughtful Gift Ideas”