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Always send a card, not an email. Send a card even if you're also sending flowers. Send a card even if a lot of time has passed. Avoid overly religious content unless the person shares your beliefs. Don't worry too much about saying the wrong thing.
Even if you learned of someone's death over social media or email, it's more thoughtful to send a card in the regular mail. Either buy a sympathy card from the store, use a blank card with an appropriate picture, or write your note on nice stationary. The note should be handwritten or typed in blue or black ink. Don't express condolences over text message. If you do express condolences over social media or by other means, send a card, too. Even if the flowers come with a short note card, send a separate sympathy card with enough space to express your heartfelt condolences. This allows you to write the note and sign it yourself, rather than having it printed by a flower shop. It's best to send a card as soon as you hear about a person's death, which will usually be within a few days or weeks of the person's passing. However, you should still send a card even if many months, or even years, have passed without you knowing about the death. If you don't send a card, the person may wonder whether you care. Even if it's a little awkward to send a card late, it's definitely better than not sending one at all. Saying "my prayers are with you" is completely fine, but copying bible passages or expressing your religious beliefs in other ways isn't appropriate for a sympathy card. The person receiving the card may not have the same beliefs, and you don't want to push yours on him or her at such a delicate time. Stick to universally accepted expressions of love and sympathy, rather than those specific to your religion. For example, saying "I know he's in heaven now" may not be appropriate, because the person may not believe in heaven. However, if you and the person are members of the same religious group, it's perfectly fine to write a note taking that into account. Trust yourself to write a message that expresses your true desire to show the recipient you care. The very act of sending a card is a thoughtful gesture that will be appreciated. Do your best to write a note that is sincere and sweet. If you find it difficult to express yourself through written notes, that's ok - there will be other ways to show the person you're there for them during this difficult time.