Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Co-worker's Aunt passes away.

A sympthy card is passed around for all to sign/comment in.


Is the idea of a group sympathy card weird or is it just me?
I feel as though a group card should be for celebrating an occasion.
Sympathy should be more personal.

Maybe its just me

Message edited 7/28/2011 11:23:41 AM.

Re: Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

why is it weird? maybe his aunt was more like a mother to him..

Re: Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

we've never done it for an aunt... usually for parents or children... but i dont think its weird...

maybe she was really close to her aunt..

Re: Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Re: Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I think we would only do something like this at my job if it was a parent, spouse or a child/grandchild.

But I guess it also depends on the relationship with the aunt---if they were like a parent it wouldn't be as strange KWIM?

Re: Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I don't think it's weird at all.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Re: Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

The part that strikes me as a little weird is that it's a sympathy card that's being passed around.

Not weird for happy things, like birthdays and retirements, etc.

Not even weird when it's a get-well card from coworkers.

But for a sympathy card...ehh...I've worked at a lot of places and have never seen a sympathy card getting passed around. People have always gotten them for coworkers when they've had a family member die but I've never seen one get passed around. It's always been an individual thing.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I dont think its any different than everyone chipping in for flowers or something like that...

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

It is a nice gesture, but I see what you mean and I agree it would strike me as odd.

I tend to read into and over-analyze things so don't go by me

Message edited 7/28/2011 11:31:39 AM.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Our firm does this -- I've never thought twice about it, to be honest.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

My dad passed away two weeks ago and I got a group card from work.

Everyone wrote something in it and it was very nice. I didn't find it weird at all.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

actually this just happened on monday for a co worker who lost her brother....at the time I thought nothing of it....but now that you brought it up I guess it is a little wierd.

We all did show up to the wake tho.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Yeah, a little weird. In my office, someone will send flowers and/or a card & just sign it from " your friends at (company name)."

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

We've done the group sympathy card at my office before. Not weird to me.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

We've done it at our office.

When someone's family member passes away, we usually contribute some money and get the person a gift card to panera or somewhere, or send them a couple of hot meals so they don't have to cook for a few nights. The card lets them know who contributed.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

We always do a group sympathy card BUT we also always chip in for flowers or a donation. The card is pretty much to let the person know who gave for when they send out thank yous.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I think it's nice and not weird at all.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I work at a schoola nd I have signed evry kid of group card, including sympathy. I dont think its odd at all.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Not weird at all and very common in our office.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I think sending a card is a nice gesture but I think having everyone write personal messages is a bit weird.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

Coming from a group of co-workers I think it's appropriate.

Kind of like sending flowers as a group.

Was a collection taken as well?

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

My job does this whenever a staff member experiences a loss. I never thought it was wierd.

Re: Group Sympathy Card - Appropriate or Not Appropriate?

I hthink its nice..... we had to do that at work for 2 people........ everyone writes something on the card.... its actually kinda nice to see that so many people care, cause otherwise alot of people might forget or not initiate a card on their own.