A Long History of Sympathy and Funeral Flower

Flower were likely put on the graves after burial, as a way of remembrance, of mourning, of saying goodbye. Without access to historical records from various eras it’s difficult to say definitely when this practice began, but a recent find on Israel’s Mount Carmel may be the earliest example yet, dating back 12,000 years.

Not an Empty Gesture

Some things can’t be fixed, but sometimes just knowing that someone is thinking of you, or sharing in your feelings can help. This is one of the reasons people send sympathy and funeral flowers—perhaps they may bring a fleeting smile to a face but, most importantly, they let someone know that others are there for them. Funeral flowers are similar, in that they are often sent to the funeral home or service, to be placed on the grave site itself—an act of honoring and remembering. If you are unsure of protocol, or what to send, any of your local florists will be able to help you, and guide you in what is likely a very difficult time.