Giving a gift of remembrance doesn't have to be complicated, according to Renee Wood, founder of The Comfort Company, an online retailer of sympathy and remembrance gifts. It can be as simple as sharing a memory or sending a card.

"Holidays can be very painful for someone who is grieving," says Wood, a former neonatal intensive care social worker. "It's important to understand how touching a gift or gesture of remembrance can be."

Rob Anderson, whose son Brendon died five years, agrees. He suggests buying a special ornament for the tree, donating a gift in their loved ones honor or giving the gift of your time and presence during the holidays. "Anything and everything is appreciated," says Anderson. "The simple things are the sweetest and don't take much effort."

If you are buying a gift for someone who is grieving this holiday season, The Comfort Company offers the following gift suggestions:

• Send a memorial tree which can be planted at the place of their choosing. 800 Flowers

• Select a candle to be lit in honor of their loved one. Hallmark

• Choose a journal or album for recording memories. Hallmark

• Purchase a piece of jewelry which can be worn as a reminder of their loved one. ICE

• Find a book on grief you feel would be uplifting. Amazon

• Send a flower vase which can be filled with flowers on difficult days of the year.  800 Flowers or Hallmark

• Choose an ornament which can be hung year-round. Personal Creations

• Have a garden stone engraved with a special saying. Personal Creations

• Share a memory in a card, letter or phone call.

• Send a care package with a selection of uplifting comfort gifts.  800 Flowers

Wood, who hopes her gifts will help the healing process, says research by Bereavement Publishing indicates there are an estimated 30 million people in the United States who are in some phase of the grieving process. 

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