If you’re like the vast majority of human beings on the planet, expressing sympathy is hard. There’s no two ways about it. When faced with the challenge of offering meaningful support in a time of grief, even the most gifted writers among us may find themselves at a loss for words.
If that’s you right now, don’t worry! This quick guide will help you find the right words and the right design to express your love and support in this challenging time.
We’re covering:
- What goes into a heartfelt sympathy card
- 10 sympathy card examples for anyone in your life
How to Write a Meaningful Sympathy Card
Regardless of whether you’re sending your condolences by mail or email, there are just a few key components to a memorable and heartfelt sympathy card:
- The message
- The design
- The delivery
Now, let’s look at each component in turn.
1. Craft Your Sympathy Message
We’ll begin with what probably feels the scariest to most of us—writing the sympathy message.
To craft a kind and supportive message, here are some tips:
Acknowledge the Loss
It might feel awkward or painful to directly name the loss, but without naming it, your message will feel more generic and less impactful. Generally speaking, it’s best to directly acknowledge the loss in a respectful way, such as, “I’m so sorry that your brother has passed away.”
Express Your Own Feelings
Sharing your own feelings of sadness and pain can help the bereaved person remember that they’re not alone. Just be sure to keep the primary focus of your message on validating the feelings of the card recipient.
Recall Something Happy
Writing about a particular memory, joke, story, personality trait, or impact that the deceased had on your life can be a lovely way to make your sympathy card more personal. Sharing positive memories is one way to elicit a smile even amidst deep grief.
Consider a Touching Quote
Sometimes the best way to word something is to use someone else’s words! Not all recipients will appreciate this approach, but if your loved one enjoys a particular author, songwriter, poet, or religious text, then words of wisdom can bring great comfort.
Offer Genuine Support
If you’d like to support the bereaved person through this difficult time, the most helpful offer will be something tangible and doable. Instead of saying, “Let me know how I can help,” offer to bring a meal, mow their lawn, or babysit their kids.
End your sympathy message with a kind salutation and, if possible, a handwritten signature. Phrases like “thinking of you” or “with you in spirit” are always great send-offs.
Above all, remember this: you don’t have to say the perfect thing. Don’t let the fear of saying the wrong thing prevent you from saying anything at all!
2. Choose the Right Look and Feel
Aside from the words themselves, the design of your sympathy card will have the biggest impact on the overall tone of your condolence message.
Would you like your card to feel more serious and weighty, or more hopeful and joyful? Would you prefer to use abstract/universal symbols of sympathy, or something more specific to the deceased?
To choose the right look, consider the common design elements shared among sympathy card examples of different styles and types:
- Formal sympathy cards tend to use dark colors, black and white photography, floral motifs, and calligraphic script fonts.
- Religious sympathy cards feature well-known religious symbols, sometimes paired with gold or other elegant metallic details.
- Casual sympathy cards may use handwritten fonts, lighter colors, and hand-drawn illustrations rather than photos.
- Hopeful sympathy cards often use brighter colors and incorporate symbols of life and rebirth, such as water or air.
- Personalized sympathy cards draw on something from the deceased’s life, such as a portrait photo or illustrations reflecting a favorite hobby.
3. Design Your Sympathy Card
While you could certainly purchase a lovely sympathy card from your local convenience store, you can create an even more meaningful message by designing your own!
By making your sympathy card in an online tool like Create, you’ll be able to mix and match the right design elements to evoke your desired mood.
Once you’ve mapped out your message and imagery using the two previous tips, it’s easy to create your card:
- Open Create and start with a greeting card template.
- Type in your heartfelt message and then choose from hundreds of fonts.
- Upload a photo of the deceased, or insert a beautiful stock photo, illustration, or graphic. (There are millions to pick from!)
- Download your file as a PNG, JPEG, or PDF—it’s ready to share online or to print and send.
4. Deliver Your Sympathy Card with Warmth
Mail or email? Phone call or text? There’s no wrong way to deliver your sympathy message.
If you design your sympathy card online, you can download a PNG to send as an e-card or share on social media, as well as a PDF to print and send by post. (More tips on making your own card next.)
If you’re dropping your card off in person, consider including a bouquet of flowers or a small gift, too.
Tip: While most sympathy cards are sent immediately after a loss, the grief process continues for months and years after. In addition to an immediate card, make a note to send another card on the next difficult date, such as an anniversary or birthday.
Related Resources:
- Background Remover: Erase Backgrounds in One Click
- Collage Maker: Make Photo Collages Online
- Color Palette Generator: Color Wheel and Hex Color Picker
- Crop Image: Free Photo Cropping
- Free Image Resizer: Small, Medium, Large, and Custom Sizes
- Free Online Photo Editor: Editor Pictures and Images
10 Sympathy Card Examples for Different Types of Loss
Whether you’re making your own card or buying one, this list of sympathy card ideas will help you find the right fit to comfort and support your loved one.
1. For Loss of Mother
This sympathy card uses soft watercolors, hopeful colors, and a poetic blessing to show its love and support.
2. For Loss of Father
One of the most personalized sympathy card examples, this design features a photo of the deceased along with a short, but heartfelt message.
3. For Loss of Child
It’s difficult to find words for something as painful as the loss of a child, so this card uses a hopeful quote from Helen Keller.
4. For Loss of Friend
This sympathy card features an illustration rather than a photo, which strikes a warm, friendly tone while still being respectful.
5. For Loss of Pet
We grieve the loss of our pets just as much as our human companions, and sending a sympathy card for the death of a pet is a meaningful gesture.
6. For Loss of Partner
Some of the best sympathy card ideas use no words at all! This touching illustration says a lot without any text.
7. For Coworker
If your coworker has experienced a loss, consider giving a group sympathy card from the entire office.
8. For Acquaintance
This sympathy card features a calming green with a hand-drawn flower and would be suitable even for someone you don’t know very well.
9. For Resignation
This card celebrates the time shared and would be perfect for a coworker who is resigning due to a difficult life circumstance.
10. For Any Kind of Loss
A simple sympathy card with neutral colors and flowers would be appropriate for anyone in your life.
Your Heartfelt Message Is All That Matters
When someone in your life has experienced a devastating loss, there’s nothing more you can do than try to share in their sorrow and express your support. A sympathy card is a small gesture to be sure, but it’s one that can have a lasting impact!
To put your sympathy card ideas into action, start with a greeting card template.
License this cover image mockup via Naddya and WinWin artlab.
