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Day of the Dead Flowers in Memphis: Honoring Loved Ones When Family Is Far Away
For many families, Día de los Muertos no longer happens in the house where it started. The family altar may now be in another state or even another country, brothers and sisters live in different cities, and the people we remember are honored from wherever we are now. If that sounds like your family, this guide is for you.
Distance changes how the days look, not what they mean. Below are a few situations many families know well, and some gentle ideas for bringing flowers into each one.
When the Ofrenda Is in Someone Else’s Home
Often one person keeps the altar for everyone: an aunt who has set it up every year, a mother who still makes the pan de muerto, a cousin who took over when the elders could no longer do it. If you cannot stand beside them this year, flowers on their table are a way of being there.
You can choose the roses in red, pink or white, or with the colors mixed, perhaps in the color they loved most.
The card matters as much as the flowers. A few words that sound like you are enough: “Across the miles, we are lighting the same candle tonight.” Or, for the one keeping the altar: “Your ofrenda carries all of us. Thank you for keeping their memory close.” Sometimes a single line says it best: “Mom would have loved these. Wishing I were at your table this year.”
Your order is prepared at our Memphis shop, 830 Colonial Rd, Memphis, TN 38117, and delivered from there. Place it by 7 PM, and it goes out the same day; order later and you can schedule it for tomorrow at checkout. For the first two days of November, placing the order a few days ahead leaves room to choose calmly.
A Small Tribute in an Apartment or at Work
A shelf, a windowsill or the corner of a desk has room for a photograph, a favorite snack or something that belonged to them, plus a few fresh flowers.
In a small space, one bouquet becomes the center of everything. Some people choose sunflowers for their warm, golden color; others keep to roses in a single color for a quieter look.
At work, keep it simple and respectful of the people around you: a photo, the flowers and a short note is plenty, and the candle can wait until you are home. Coworkers who ask about it are often curious about the tradition, and telling them about the person in the picture can be a way of remembering out loud.
Remembering Together on a Video Call
When the family is spread out, a video call can become a shared ofrenda. Each home sets out a photograph and some flowers, someone holds the phone up to the main altar, and everyone takes a turn telling a story.
It helps to agree on a time ahead, so grandparents and children can join. Some families light their candles at the same moment, play a song the person loved, or eat the same dish in every kitchen. The screen is small, but seeing each other’s flowers and photographs makes the distance feel shorter.
Passing the Tradition to Children Far From Home
Children growing up far from the family’s hometown may never have seen the altar their grandparents built. This year they can help build one of their own, wherever home is now.
Let them help: cutting papel picado, placing the pan de muerto, choosing where each photograph goes. Tell them that the orange cempasúchil is one of the flowers many families place on the altar, its color and scent said to light the way home for the souls, and let them pick a rose color for each person you are remembering. Remind them that candles stay well away from flowers and paper.
What they learn at a small table in an apartment is still the tradition. Years from now, they may be the ones keeping the ofrenda for everyone else.
If Someone Died This Year and You Can’t Travel
When a loss is recent, there may be a funeral, a viewing or a rosary you cannot get to, and later an ofrenda with that person’s photograph on it for the first time. Flowers can reach both.
A floral cross or wreath can be delivered to the service as a tribute from you, with your name on the card. For the altar at home, a bouquet of roses can follow in November.
Questions About Sending Day of the Dead Flowers to Family
I live in another state. Can I send flowers to my family in Memphis for Día de los Muertos?
Yes. You can order online from wherever you are, enter the address of the person receiving the flowers, and add your card message. The flowers are prepared and delivered from our Memphis shop. Delivery has an extra fee based on the drive time from the shop; you will see the exact fee at checkout.
Can I use roses or sunflowers on the ofrenda?
Yes. Roses and sunflowers both look beautiful on an ofrenda. White roses stand out beside the photographs, red or mixed roses add warmth, and sunflowers bring a golden color that sits well beside the orange cempasúchil the family places.
When should I order so the flowers arrive before the ofrenda is ready?
Ordering several days before November 1 gives you more time to choose a bouquet and pick the delivery day. Order by 7 PM for same-day delivery; after that, you can schedule it for tomorrow.
What should I write on the card when I cannot be there?
Keep it short and personal. Mention the person being remembered by name, a memory you share, or simply that you are with the family in spirit. The examples above are a good starting point.
Close to Them, Wherever You Are
Love does not keep track of miles. Whether you are setting up a small corner in your apartment, joining the family on a screen, or sending roses to the table where the altar stands, you are still taking part in the same two days as everyone you love.
If you would like flowers to be part of your Día de los Muertos this year, we will be glad to help you choose them.
Ready to send flowers?
Choose 24, 50 or 100 roses, add a gift message, and we'll get it ready. Shops in Houston, Dallas and Memphis.