Help me brainstorm a care package for my friend.

[kristie]

My friend that I posted about this weekend. She has three kids and the funeral for her husband is this Friday. We dont want to go the flower route and want to do something more personal/helpful. All of the girlfriends want to pitch in to make her a kickass care package. Ideas?

[Jalapeñomel]

Food items like crackers, dried fruit, pizza coupons, etc. stuff so she doesn't have to go to the grocery store.

Again, I am so sorry for the loss.  So heartbreaking.

[kwynn]

Young widow here...

House cleaning pre-paid, with the name and number right on the card

Gift certificates to dream dinners or the like in your area

Peapod or other grocery delivery gift cards

Schwan's gift card with a catalog for home delivery

Oil change/lawn care info

A list of names and numbers of helpful stuff (if you know what her DH mainly did around the house), like:

1. Call Bob for oil changes, he's awesome - #
2. If and when you need to buy or sell a car, John is really good at that and loves doing it - # (Or "Bob's Fords" is a great dealer we have used for years or whatever)
3. Good babysitters in the neighborhood are _________ and __________
4. ______________ shovels snow on the side and will come out and do your driveway

(And it would be great if you could arrange to pay for those services or something once if that would be helpful)

Maybe a few books on grieving (non-religious if she is not religious, I didn't like reading religious books as I am not).

Blank journals and nice pens for recording memories

A fancy/nice box for cards she will receive from everyone that she might want to keep

I can think of so much stuff...but that's what I came up with very fast.

[Deleted]

how about also purse-sized things like advil, visine, tissues, throat lozenges. there will be so much crying or not crying or talking or not talking or heaven only knows what else, and having that stuff with her might really help. nothing is more awkward than trying to keep it together with a drippy nose and raging headache.

[sparkythelawyer]

GC's for housecleaning services.

Several meals from Dinners by Design or someplace like that where she can have a bunch of ready made meals that she just has to warm up.

I might also suggest flowers but for her to be sent to her house. My office did that for me after mom died and it was a nice touch.

ETA: just noticed your flowers comment. Maybe no flowers, but something pretty, and not practical can also help me, in bad times, feel like a human and not just some entity people feel compelled to take care of.

I am so sorry for your friend.