Funeral flowers and sympathy gifts: common questions

Funeral flowers are the larger tributes sent to the funeral home or church: standing sprays, wreaths, crosses and casket sprays. Sympathy flowers are smaller arrangements and plants sent to the family's home, before or after the service.

Lilies, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and gladioli are the traditional choices. Lilies stand for the restored innocence of the soul, roses for love and respect, and white flowers of any kind for peace and reverence.

As soon as you hear the news, or in time for the service. If you learn of the service late, sympathy flowers or a plant to the family's home are always welcome in the days and weeks after.

Yes. A peace lily or another green plant is a lasting tribute the family can keep, and many people find it a comfort in the months that follow.

Keep it short and sincere: With deepest sympathy. In loving memory of Rose. Thinking of you and your family. Our thoughts are with you. Sign with your full name so the family knows who sent it.

Think about your relationship to the family. Close family often sends the casket spray or a standing spray; friends, colleagues and neighbors usually send an arrangement or a plant to the home. Our staff can advise by phone.

Yes. Sympathy flowers or a plant to the family's home are appropriate at any time.

White and soft pastels are traditional. It is increasingly common to choose the colors the person loved, so a bright design is welcome when it fits.

Yes. Flowers can be sent to the service, and arrangements or plants to the family's home. Smaller pieces and urn wreaths are made for cremation settings.

Yes. In some Jewish traditions flowers are not sent to the funeral home, and some families ask for donations instead. When in doubt, check with the family or the funeral home; a fruit or food basket to the home is often a welcome alternative.

Yes, locally and nationwide through our florist network when the order is placed before the cutoff (2:00 PM Monday to Friday, 12:45 PM Saturday, in the recipient's time zone). Put the funeral home, the name of the deceased and the service time in the special instructions and the florist coordinates the timing with the funeral home.

After the recipient's address at checkout, a special instructions field appears. Give the funeral home name, the deceased's name and the viewing or service time. You can also call Smithtown and we will place it with you.

Gift baskets are best sent to the family's home. They ship by carrier from our gift basket partners rather than with the florist, so they are not same-day and the funeral home timing does not apply.

Standing pieces are designed for the service. For the home, choose an arrangement, a basket or a plant; the family can keep it long after the service.