While normal, everyday activities are tough because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s made supporting people after a death a cremation service in Oakland, CA incredibly difficult. How can you comfort or support someone when you can’t see them in person or give them a hug?

One way to help make a loss a little easier for someone grieving is to create a grief care package. While there are normal care packages that are great when there isn’t a pandemic, a care package in the time of COVID-19 is a bit different, from what it includes to the delivery:

• Soothing Items – These days, comforting items like candles, weighted blankets, pajamas, and essential oils have become necessities for everyone dealing with the stress of the pandemic. They’re especially helpful for people that are going through a loss. Create a care package with some of these comforting gifts or have them mailed to the bereaved via Amazon or another delivery service.
• Food – Grocery shopping and cooking are tough during a loss, but these tasks are made even tougher because of the pandemic. Include some prepared, frozen foods in your care package so the bereaved don’t have to worry about risking exposure in a grocery store or taking the energy to cook. You can also send them a gift card for Instacart or another grocery delivery service so they can choose their own food and still stay safe from illness or place an Instacart order on their behalf and have it delivered to their home, so you and they are safe.
• Customary Gifts – The traditional gifts like flowers, candy, books and sympathy cards still signal that you care and are thinking of the bereaved. Take into consideration the person to whom you are sending the grief care package as not everyone likes chocolate or has need for a new book
• Supportive Gifts – Another traditional care package for someone going through a loss is a cleaning service to help out with household chores. While this might not be possible right now because of the pandemic, you can still send helpful gifts that don’t require indoor contact. A landscaping service, for example, will go a long way towards taking the yard work off their plate. If it’s around the holidays, you can also hire an outdoor decorating service.
• Important Household Items – Toilet paper might not be as popular as it was at the beginning of the pandemic, but it’s still a very thoughtful item to include in a care package. It can be hard for the bereaved to have the time, energy, or emotional bandwidth to do errands like getting household necessitates. Help them out by sending toiletries, tissues, paper towels, dishwasher detergent and other items directly to their home. All of these items are available for delivery through Amazon, Target, and other stores, so it will be very easy for you to make sure they get to the bereaved while keeping yourself safe.

These are just a few tips to help you send care packages during the pandemic. Deer Creek Funeral Service is here to help if you would you like to learn more about care packages or Orange Park, FL cremation services.

Your lost loved one’s memorial after their cremation service in Oakland, CA should be special and meaningful, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you need big, outlandish additions to make it so. Luckily, you don’t need photo booths, 10-piece bands, bespoke attire, or a massive dessert table to honor your lost loved one. All you need are a few elegant, simple, and personalized finishes.

The right modest yet memorable touches can elevate a memorial even more than big additions. Use this list of elegant ways to elevate your lost loved one’s service as inspiration:

• Focus on Lighting – The lighting is one of the most important aspects of a service as it can totally transform a space with the right mood. When it comes to lighting, a little bit goes a long way. Use dimmers, bistro lights, or twinkle lights to create a soft atmosphere for the service and speeches. Switch over to brighter lighting when it’s time to mingle.
• Reuse and Repurpose Flowers – Repurposing flowers throughout the day not only looks great but also helps save you money. For example, if you have a floral arrangement on a service side table, take it down and put it behind the food table for the reception part of the memorial. Or rather than spending tons of money on centerpieces for the food able, just put a simple bouquet in a clear vase.
• Creative Cocktails – The bar can create major headaches when it comes to personalization, style, and budget. The best way to curb bar-induced headaches – besides hydration, of course – is to come up with custom or personalized cocktails. A cocktail menu with a few of your lost loved one’s drinks not only adds a custom touch but also helps keep your bar tab down.
• Hire a Photographer – You will want to remember the special moments from your lost loved one’s service. Asking your friend that takes pictures sometimes to shoot may seem like a great idea to save money, but it’s actually just a disaster waiting to happen. You want the photos to capture the meaningful moments so you can remember them for years to come. That’s worth the investment in an actual photographer. Plus, if you like their work, it’s helpful to have a good relationship with a photographer. You can always hire them back for future family events.
• Get Some Help – If you don’t have the budget for an event planner, at least hire a day-of coordinator to take charge. Having someone run point on all things memorial can help take away your stress so you can just focus on grieving your lost loved one. Plus, you can’t be everywhere at once to deal with issues as they arise.

We are here to help if you want more tips on how to make your lost loved one’s memorial great or more information on Oakland, CA cremation services. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

There are a lot of details that go into a memorial after a cremation service in Oakland, CA. However, not every detail matters as much as others. There are some aspects of funerals and memorials that guests don’t really care about at all, but there are some that they care about a lot.

In order to save you time and energy on planning your lost loved one’s service, here are the details that your guests actually care about. Use this list to help make your lost loved one’s service the best it can be!

To begin, people care about the flow. When it comes to any kind of even, even funerals and memorials, the “flow” refers to the way your guests move from moment to moment in the event. For example, from the service itself to the refreshments or burial. You don’t want to keep your guests waiting, so it’s important to optimize your flow by keeping your funeral director, celebrant, or any other person in charge appraised of your wishes and delays.

The location is also important. Do your best to choose a location that’s as accessible as possible, whether that means keeping it close to home to minimize travel or ensuring it has wheelchair ramps or close parking for differently abled guests. Also, don’t forget to consider the weather if the venue you choose has outdoor options. You don’t want your guests to sweat through their black clothing or freeze in cold weather.

Don’t forget to focus on the date and tie. Your guests want to be able to come to your lost loved one’s service! When choosing the date, be mindful of holidays. Even though getting days off from may make it easier for them to travel, many people may want to use holidays for vacations or standing family reunions. When choosing the time, try not to make the service too early or too late. Having the ceremony at 9am might make it hard to guests to be ready, but a service at 9pm is later than others might want to stay up. The food at the service one of the most important aspects, so you need to make sure your catering is the best it can be. That means not only delicious, but also hot, fresh, and well-presented. Don’t forget about options for people with dietary restrictions.

Do your very best to talk with or say hello to every one of your guests. It can be tough to accomplish, especially if you have a big service, but it’s important to make an effort so they feel appreciated for taking the time and energy to attend. Finally, focus on the service itself. The majority of funeral guests are at the event because they cared about the deceased. So, make sure the service honors and remembers the deceased in the best ways possible.

Deer Creek Funeral Service is here to help if you want more tips on planning or Oakland, CA cremation services? After all, you shouldn’t waste your precious funeral or memorial planning time working on details that your guest won’t care about or even remember.