Use the name your family used
Grandparents collect names: Grandma, Nana, Nan, Nanny, Gran, Grandpa, Grandad, Pop, Papa, Oma and Opa, Abuela and Abuelo, Nonna and Nonno, Lola and Lolo, and many more. On the card, use the name the grandchildren actually used. That familiar name is part of the message.
If cousins used different names, a shared card can use the one most of you used, or simply “Grandma” or “Grandpa.” Check the spelling your family uses, since Nana, Nanna, and Nan can all be right. Add a word in another language only if you are sure of its meaning and spelling.
Step-grandparents and grandparents by marriage often had names of their own, such as “Grandma Jo.” Use that name, and write about the grandparent they were to you.
The order details are different from the card. Use your grandparent’s full name as it appears on the service notice, not “Nan,” so the funeral home can match the flowers to the right service.
What to write on funeral flowers for Grandma, Nana, or Nan
Adult grandchildren often remember a grandmother through a kitchen, a phrase, or a small ritual. Change the detail to one of yours.
- Nan, thank you for a cookie jar that was never empty and a door that was always open. Love, [Your name]
- Grandma, every good thing I know how to cook, I learned at your elbow. [Your name]
- Nana, you made me feel like the most important person in every room. Love you, [Your name]
- Thank you for the birthday card with five dollars in it, every year without fail. Love, [Your name]
- Grandma, I still hum the song you sang when we couldn’t sleep. Love, [Your name]
- Gran, your stories are ours to tell now. We will tell them right. [Your name]
- Grandma Jo, you loved us like we had always been yours. [Your name]
What to write on funeral flowers for Grandpa
Many grandchildren remember a grandfather for something he taught them: a skill, a saying, or how to wait. Gentle humor is fine if it fits him.
- Grandpa, thank you for the fishing trips and the patience. Mostly the patience. Love, [Your name]
- Pop, you taught me to shake hands like I meant it. I always will. [Your name]
- Papa, your workbench, your cardigans, your corny jokes: I’m keeping all of it. [Your name]
- Grandad, thank you for every walk to the corner store and every story on the way. [Your name]
- Abuelo, gracias por todo. We love you. [Your name]
- Nonno, Sunday dinners will be so much quieter without you. Ti vogliamo bene. [Names]
Words young children can write themselves
Young children can add their own line to the card, or make a separate note, if they want to. The Dougy Center, a national grief center for children and families, recommends giving children choices about how they take part in a funeral. It notes that children may have ideas about flowers, a drawing to make, or something they have written.
Offer, but do not insist. Teenagers may prefer to write privately or not at all, and any child may change their mind. Let a child say it in their own words, and write down exactly what they say if they cannot write yet. Add their first name and age. A drawing or longer letter can sit near the flowers, or be placed with their grandparent if the family and funeral director agree; VITAS Healthcare notes that placing a drawing or letter in the casket is often comforting for a child.
- I love you, Grandma.
- Thank you for the hugs, Pop.
- I will miss your pancakes, Nana.
- Grandpa, you were my best buddy.
- Goodbye, Nan. You are the best.
- I will always remember you, Grandma.
From great-grandchildren
Great-grandchildren range from newborns to adults. A parent can sign for a baby or toddler, and older great-grandchildren can use the same approach as any grandchild.
- Great-Grandma, thank you for the lap, the stories, and the candy dish. Love, [Names]
- From your newest great-grandchild, who will grow up hearing about you. [Baby’s name]
- Four generations, one family, because of you. With love, [Names]
Funeral flower messages from all the grandchildren
A shared arrangement from the grandchildren is common, especially when cousins live in different places. Choose one organizer, agree on the wording and budget, and check with the family where the piece will go. Sign “Your grandchildren” followed by first names, or group names by family: “Emma, Jack, and Lily; Noah and Ava.”
If the grandchildren hope to contribute to the casket spray, ask first. The Emily Post Institute notes that grandchildren are among the family members who may supply it. The people arranging the funeral still decide what goes on the casket.
- All eleven of us love you, Grandma, and we always will. Your grandchildren, [Names]
- Thank you for the sleepovers, the summers, and the rules you let us break. Love, your grandchildren
- Grandpa, we are the lucky ones. With love from your grandchildren, [Names]
- Nonna, every holiday was at your house, and every one of us felt at home there. Love, your grandchildren
Ribbon and banner wording for a grandparent
A card is the small note with your message and your names. A ribbon or banner is a few lettered words across a formal piece, usually a standing spray, wreath, or casket spray; baskets and vase arrangements usually carry only a card. Put the name or relationship on the ribbon and everything else on the card.
Ask the florist whether lettering is available for your design and date and what will fit. If the grandchildren are sending one piece and the children another, agree on the wording so the ribbons read well side by side.
- Beloved Grandmother
- Nana
- Beloved Grandfather
- Pop
- From Your Grandchildren
- Our Nonna
Faith-based messages for a grandparent
Use scripture only when it reflects your grandparent’s faith and the family’s. These verses are from the King James Version. The first suits a grandmother who shared her faith with the family; “unfeigned” means sincere.
- “The unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois.” 2 Timothy 1:5. Thank you for passing it on, Grandma. [Your name]
- “One generation shall praise thy works to another.” Psalm 145:4. With love from your grandchildren
- “Children’s children are the crown of old men.” Proverbs 17:6. We were proud to be yours, Grandpa. [Your name]
If you lived far away or were not close
Not every grandchild grew up nearby. Some saw a grandparent once a year, spoke mostly by phone, or knew them best through a parent’s stories. You can still send flowers and write something true without claiming a closeness you did not have.
Name the connection you did have, such as letters, holiday visits, or what your parent told you. Your card may also comfort your mother or father, who has just lost a parent.
- Grandpa, thank you for the letters every Christmas. I kept every one. [Your name]
- Oma, I wish we had more summers together. I’m glad for the ones we had. [Your name]
- Remembering you with love from far away, and thinking of Dad today. [Your name]
A simple formula, and how to sign it
Put three things together: the name you called your grandparent, one memory, and a line of love or thanks. For example: “Grandpa, I still check the oil before every long drive, just like you said. Love, Ben.” If nothing comes, think of a smell, a phrase, or a place, such as the porch, the car, or the kitchen table. One of those details is usually the message.
Sign in a way the family will recognize. With many grandchildren, adding a parent’s name helps: “Love, Chloe (Maria’s daughter).” For a shared card, one clear group name followed by first names is easier to read than a crowded list.
Follow the family’s wishes. If the notice asks for donations instead of flowers or describes a private service, respect that. Otherwise, give the florist your grandparent’s full name, the venue address, and the first viewing or service time, and check each name on the card before you submit.