Being thankful and expressing our gratitude is a very important part of being contented in life. It is only in times of sorrow that you realise how important the ones who are truly there to support and help you through it are. Inevitably at some point in all our lives the pain of loss will knock our doors and it is the people who are there to help that will make that burden of pain feel just a little bit lighter.
An acknowledgement card is the perfect way to show your gratitude and show your appreciation for the help and support that you and your family received during your loss.
We understand that there may be some confusion about the specifics of acknowledgement cards so we have put together this short guide to help you though the process and make things a little easier.
What are Acknowledgement Cards?
Acknowledgement cards (or more commonly referred to as thank you cards) are cards that are given after a funeral to thank those that have helped out or shown support during the bereavement of a loved one. Whether they helped with the funeral or wake, gave a mass card or flowers or just made an extra effort to attend the funeral.
Who should they be sent to?
Traditionally some would say that anyone who sent a mass card should receive one, generally what I would suggest is use your intuition and give to those who you feel should get one. Consult with your family & close friends and make a list that feels right for you. This will help you make sure nobody is left out and everyone who should get one does.
Here is a sample list of those who generally receive one:
- Those who sent personal condolence letters cards
- Those who sent mass cards
- People who bought or sent flowers
- Anyone who made a charitable donation (the applicable charity should be able to supply you with a list of donors)
- Those who travelled to attend the funeral
- Any of the clergy who presided over the funeral
- Anyone who went above and beyond and helped in a meaningful way
Of course this is not an exhaustive list and is just example to help you decide. What we would say is consult with family members and make a list that feels right for you.
When should acknowledgement cards be sent?
There is no hard fast rules when sending out acknowledgement cards, at the end of the day it is never too early or too late to say thank you. A lot of people would say that cards should be sent out around 2-4 weeks after the funeral or around the time of the months mind.
To be truthful we get very little orders through for acknowledgement cards so soon after the funeral. For us it is more commonly 2+ months after the funeral with some instances being up to a year after the funeral. In fact the majority of our acknowledgement card orders are placed while the customer is ordering memorial cards which is generally many months (or up to a year) after the funeral.
As with who you should send them to, the question of when you should sent them generally comes down to your own personal choice and how you feel is the right time to send them. We are certainly more than happy to be on hand for assistance when you choose when is right for you.
Acknowledgement Card Types
While looking for acknowledgement cards you are likely to find a few different types of cards. The main type of memorial card is usually size A6 (148 x 105mm) and either printed on the front or front and reverse sides. The next type of card you are likely to see is a folding acknowledgment card, these cards are usually folded on the long or short sides depending on the design and are sizes around A6 when closed and around A5 when opened out.
For the minute we only have single and double sided design available on our website but we are working on a new range of folding designs to add to our existing range so & we hope to have them live on the site before December 2019.
Our Nature/Scenic Acknowledgement card designs:
Click Here to see all Nature/Scenic Cards
Our Religious Acknowledgement Card designs
Click Here to see all Religious Cards
What goes on an acknowledgement card?
Generally the card has a predominant theme and then a design to factor in with that theme, like above we try to keep the designed themed in the nature/scenic and religious themes. This allows us to cover the majority of the common designs without having an overwhelming amount of categories. Once you have picked the card you would like the next thing would be to decide what to put on the card.
Main Heading
The first thing that would usually go on the card is the main title text or the main heading. This is usually just above the text on our single sided cards & also features on the front of our double sided cards. You can pick from one of our standard headings or choose your own while ordering. Our standard headings are as follows:
- In Grateful Appreciation
- With Sincere Thanks
- With Thanks
- Thank You
- Thanks
Photos
The next thing I will talk about is a photos. Traditionally a lot of acknowledgement cards would not feature a photo of the deceased but we have the option for one on all of our cards with the majority of our customers choosing to have one. Whether or not you choose to have a photo of now is really down to personal preference as there is no right or wrong way to do it. There are also a number of different framing options for photos witch is explained on the main product pages for acknowledgement cards.
Subheading/Secondary heading
After the photo comes the text, the main area of text usually consists of a subheading, then the name & relevant dates, a thank you verse and lastly a space for a second block of text which is usually the mass information.
The secondary heading is usually the precursor to the name, you can choose one of our standard headings or supply your own. Our standard headings are as follows:
- The wife and family of the late
- The husband and family of the late
- The wife of the late
- The husband of the late
- The family of the late
Name & Dates
After the secondary headings goes the name and relevant dates, the name is usually just the first and last name in most cases but some people choose to include a nickname for example. Some people also like to include a maiden name on card, most commonly in the format of full name-née-maiden name (for example: Mary Smith Née Murphy), this is also more commonly done for a female.
After the name is the dates you would like on the card, we include the option as standard on the order form for the date of birth, date of death and age at death, what you choose is really down to your personal preference as there is no right or wring here.
Main Thank You text
The next and arguably the most important or main part of the acknowledgement card is the main thank you text. For this you can choose one of our standard verses or choose to input your own text. If you would like we can also leave this blank if you prefer so you can include a handwritten message. The full list of our standard verses can be found by clicking here. Some of the most popular verses are as follows:
would like to thank you
most sincerely for your
kind expression of sympathy
in their recent sad loss.
deeply appreciates and
gratefully acknowledges
your kind expression
of sympathy.
Wish to thank you for the expressions
of sympathy and kindness
you have shown during their moment of sorrow.
We are truly grateful for your love and support.
Secondary Main text/Mass information
The final piece of text is generally where the mass information or a final thank you goes. This text is totally optional, some of our customers like it and some choose to leave it off the card. The choice on this is down to you. If you do wish to include it you can either choose from one of our standard text options or provide your own. Our standard text options are as follows:
1) The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
has been offered for your intentions.
2) The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
will be offered for your intentions.
3) Always in our prayers, forever in our hearts.
4) May God Bless You
5) Thank you for your thoughtfulness.
The difference between Acknowledgement Cards & Memorial Cards?
You could be forgiven for thinking acknowledgement cards & memorial cards are more or less the same. At the end of the day you can have a photo, name, dates etc on an acknowledgement card so why not just choose to get acknowledgement cards and bypass memorial cards altogether? Firstly aside from all the difference in information there is also a difference in the way they are made. An acknowledgement or thank you card is more akin to a greetings card, it is not made to be durable and stand the test of time. A memorial card on the other hand is finished & laminated to ensure longevity.
Acknowledgement Card Pricing
Acknowledgement cards tend to be lower in price compared to memorial cards for example as they have less finishing steps so take much less time in production. Our acknowledgement cards are printed to a very high standard on think silk finish 350gsm cardstock.
Our acknowledgemet card range start off at €52.00 and the latest price can be found by clicking here.
Conclusion
We hope you have found this article helpful and that it has answered some of your questions regarding acknowledgement/thank you cards. If you need help with any part of the ordering process or have any queries or questions about any of our range of cards please feel free to contact us by phone or email, we always have somebody on hand to help you!
