La Toussaint: All Saints' Day Remembrance and Sympathy Gifts

In France, the first of November is La Toussaint, All Saints' Day. It is a public holiday, and it is the day many French families visit the graves of the people they have lost. They clean the stones, bring pots of chrysanthemums – the traditional flower of La Toussaint – and often light a candle. The next day, the second of November, is All Souls' Day, the Jour des Morts. It is a quiet, tender custom, and one that many families carry with them wherever they live: a candle in the window, a few flowers by a photograph, a moment to say a name out loud.

Whether you keep La Toussaint yourself or are looking for a gentle way to comfort a friend who is grieving, here are the pieces we turn to for remembrance and sympathy gifts: candlelight, angels and crosses, chosen to be kept for years rather than put away.

A Candle of Remembrance

Lighting a candle is the simplest way to remember someone. Lalique crystal votives are made in the Lalique manufactory in Wingen-sur-Moder, in Alsace, and the satin-and-polished crystal glows softly when a tea light burns inside. See all Lalique candle holders.

Lalique Muguet Votive Candleholder

Muguet is the French word for lily of the valley. A hand-finished crystal votive from the French house founded by René Lalique, with the satin and polished contrasts Lalique is known for.

Lalique Feuilles Votive Candleholder

Feuilles means leaves – a crystal votive that suits an autumn table or a quiet corner beside a photograph, made in Wingen-sur-Moder.

Lalique Anemones Votive Candleholder

Hand-finished crystal from the Lalique manufactory in Alsace. A thoughtful sympathy gift that will be lit again on anniversaries and birthdays.

Lalique Caldera Small Vase-Votive

A crystal piece that works two ways: as a votive for a candle, or as a small vase for a few stems from the garden.

Porcelain Votivelights from Limoges

Bernardaud's Votivelights are made of bisque (unglazed) porcelain in Limoges. The motif is engraved into the porcelain and glows when the candle is lit. See all Bernardaud Votivelights.

Bernardaud Angels Lithophane Votivelight

A bisque porcelain Votivelight with an engraved angels motif, decorated and finished in Limoges.

Bernardaud Angels LED Votivelight

The same angels motif in an LED Votivelight – a safe choice for a bedside table or a room where a real flame isn't practical.

Bernardaud Roses Votivelight

Bisque Limoges porcelain with an engraved roses motif: flowers that never fade.

Angels to Keep Watch

An angel is one of the most comforting gifts you can give after a loss. Every Herend figurine is shaped and painted entirely by hand in Herend, Hungary, and finished with 24k gold accents. See all Herend religious figurines.

Herend Guardian Angel Figurine

A hand-painted porcelain guardian angel, 5 in tall, with 24k gold accents – a gift that says "someone is watching over you."

Herend Angel with Dove Figurine

A larger hand-painted angel holding a dove, the symbol of peace, finished with 24k gold accents.

Herend Tranquility Lying Angel Figurine

A small resting angel, hand-painted in a range of Herend's fishnet colors – gentle enough for a child's room or a nightstand.

Herend Sleeping Angel Figurine

A tiny sleeping angel in hand-painted porcelain, in a range of fishnet colors. It is especially tender as a remembrance of a baby or a young child.

Crosses of Faith

For a family of faith, a cross is a lasting sign of hope. See also our Jay Strongwater crosses.

Herend Cross Figurine

A hand-painted porcelain cross, 4¾ in by 2¼ in, in a range of fishnet colors such as blue, raspberry and key lime.

Herend Miniature Cross Figurine

A smaller hand-painted cross in a wide choice of fishnet colors, small enough to keep on a desk or beside a photograph.

Michael Aram Foliated Cross Sculpture

A handcrafted metal cross from the Michael Aram workshops, where every design begins as a hand-forged original. Currently available in silver.

Jay Strongwater Sacred Jewel Cross Ornament

Hand-enameled metal hand-set with crystals by the Jay Strongwater atelier, designed in New York – it can hang in a window all year.

How to Give a Sympathy Gift

• Keep it simple. A candle, a small angel or a cross says more than a large gift. Choose something that can sit quietly on a shelf.
• Write the name. A short handwritten card that mentions the person by name means a great deal to a grieving family.
• Remember the dates. Anniversaries, birthdays and holidays are often harder than the first weeks. A candle sent then is never forgotten.
• Pair it with flowers. In the French tradition, chrysanthemums are the flower of La Toussaint; white flowers of any kind are a gentle choice.

For christenings and first communions, when an angel or a cross marks a happier day, see our christening and baptism gifts and communion and confirmation gifts. To learn more about the porcelain house behind these figurines, read our Herend figurines guide.

Save your favorites: open any piece and tap the ♡ to add it to your Wishlist, then share it with family who would like to send something in remembrance.