What to Write in a Confirmation or Sympathy Card

Writing a confirmation card and writing a sympathy card often begin the same way. The card lies open on the table, the pen is in your hand, and the first word won't come. It feels as if you should come up with something big. You rarely need to.

Cross and White Flowers is a pop-up card made for exactly these two moments. When you open it, a small paper scene rises from inside: a wooden cross with a white cloth draped around it, white flowers at its foot, a chalice and an open Bible. A few butterflies rest above the flowers. Closed, the card lies flat and fits in an ordinary envelope.

The picture itself doesn't say whether the day is a celebration or a loss. The message you write inside does that.

After a confirmation party there is a pile of envelopes on the table, and many of them say roughly the same thing. What the young person remembers later are the ones where someone spoke to them in particular. You don't need a long text. One thing you have noticed about them is enough, for example:

"I've watched you grow into a brave and kind person. I'm proud of you."
"Whenever you doubt yourself, read this again: people believe in you."

A pop-up card doesn't sink to the bottom of the pile, because it stands up. It often ends up on a shelf, and the message inside gets read more than once.

In a sympathy card the words are even harder to find, because you're afraid of saying the wrong thing. But the most important part is done the moment the card is sent: the family knows someone is thinking of them. A few lines are enough:

"We are thinking of you in these heavy days."
"We remember Marjatta's laugh and warmth. Strength to the whole family."

If you knew the person who died, one memory of your own often means more than any ready-made poem.

The family receives many cards in these weeks. This one can stand open on the table at the memorial. The picture is quiet, white and green, and the butterfly has long been a sign of hope.

You can order the card to your home and write it yourself. If you live far away or time is short, write your message at checkout and we'll write it into the card by hand and post it straight to the recipient.