Every year, we compile a list of the most distinctive and creative gifts for funeral directors, from hilarious novelties to one-of-a-kind accessories to heartfelt tokens of appreciation to create our Funeral Director Gift Guide. Whether you’re shopping for a coworker, a loved one, or even secretly treating yourself (don’t worry, we’ll take your secret to the grave!), this guide has something for everyone. From stylish accessories to quirky keepsakes, every item is designed to help funeral directors showcase their dedication and individuality.
In the past, we used to lament the lack of novelty gifts for funeral directors, but this year we’ve been thrilled to see a growing trend of funeral directors creating their own side businesses—crafting distinctive items that celebrate the deathcare profession. It’s inspiring to see funeral directors channel their creativity into products that let them and their peers proudly represent their field. Keep an eye out for our follow up blog to come out next month featuring our favorite Funeral Director Etsy shops.
We recently refreshed our Funeral Director Gift Guide for 2025 to replace sold-out items with exciting new finds. Explore our list & discover how these gifts for funeral directors bring humor, meaning, and personality to the profession they love.
Now Departing: A Small-Town Mortician On Death, Life and the Moments in Between
This recently published book by funeral director, Victor M. Sweeney, is currently making headlines for shedding light on what it’s like to work in deathcare. His book has been described as “quite poetic”, “honest”, “reflective” and “eye-opening”, weaving personal stories together that reveal some deep truths about life. It’s the perfect new book release to gift to the funeral director in your life.
Funeral Homies Sweatshirt
Drop Dead Threads offers a ton of creative and eye-catching designs, many of which are highlighted on this list, but this one gave us the biggest laugh. The thought of a group of funeral directors sporting this shirt at a meetup is hilariously perfect. Much like the turtle doves in Home Alone 2, this is a shirt you’ll want to grab for yourself and for your funeral service BFF too.
A Coffin Sun Catcher
One of our favorite new entries to our list this year, this beautifully designed sun catcher reminds you to appreciate every sunrise and sunset while you are still alive.
Mortician Themed Candles
Candles are not usually the most personal of gifts you could give someone, but these ones certainly break that mold. If you don’t like them, you probably need to lighten up! We could not pick which one we liked better. Both are sold from this incredible Etsy shop that offers a plethora of unique mortician and embalmer gifts. We recommend exploring the entire Jeannibellini shop to discover more awesome items we couldn’t fit on our list.
Embalming Fluid Candle
Funeral Director Candle
I Can’t I Have Plans With The Dead Bag
Our favorite new addition to the list this year, this unique bag serves as both a stylish way to show off your chosen profession and an excuse you can carry around with you anytime you need to make a quick exit. Available as both a cross body or travel bag.
Hearse Key Holder
The perfect place to stash the keys to your favorite set of wheels—whether it’s for business or just a joyride in style. We love this gift idea for a family of funeral directors.
The Ultimate Christmas Shirt for Funeral Directors
We can’t imagine a better shirt to wear while rocking out to Carol of the Bells on the way to pick up a body. Also available in this adorable t-shirt design from the fabulous GetYourCozyOnDesigns Etsy shop.
Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral
The perfect coffee table book to add to your collection that explains why we bury our dead the way we do in a non-textbook type manner. There is much fascinating funeral history to be found within its pages. For a sneak peak, check out our blog post.
Porti-Boy Necklace Pendant
What funeral professional wouldn’t want an embalmer’s emblem in their jewelry collection? Show off your favorite piece of prep room equipment everywhere you go with this awesome Porti-Boy pendant. Not only will you be paying tribute to your profession, but you’ll also have a blast confusing people outside of the funeral profession who might think you’re wearing a tiny Margarita maker on around your neck.
We recommend exploring the TheBoutiqueBizarre Etsy page for other one-of-a-kind gifts for embalmers. From miniature prep rooms you can display on your desk to embalming fluid lapel pins, there are a lot of really cool novelty gifts you can find for funeral professionals.
Dancing Funeral Cats
The purrfect gift for any funeral director cat lover. When we stumbled upon this adorably awesome item on Amazon we thought, you gotta be kitten me! Who wouldn’t want these paw-bearers adorning their desk? The best part is you can position the cats and coffin into multiple hilarious positions. The paw-sibility are as endless as our love for cat puns!
Sugar Skull Flip Flops
Embalmer’s Gift Box
We love this gift box from DangerCoolDesigns which includes a great mix of unique funeral director gifts. The box includes a super cool tumbler adorned with deathcare symbols along with some awesome keychains, stickers and other various items to help you show off your love of embalming.
Atlas Obscura Book: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders
Custom Funeral Home Snow Globe
Give your funeral home the snow globe treatment! What a cool (and inexpensive!) gift idea for that unshakable funeral director in your life. You can personalize the snow globe with any funeral home name and you can even customize the appearance of the little funeral director character!
More Info – Male Funeral Director Snow Globe
More Info – Female Funeral Director Snow Globe
Porti-Boy Embalming Scrubs
Who says you can’t match your Porti-Boy to your wardrobe? These scrubs are the stylish way to get the job done, one embalming at a time.
Ask Me About My Dead End Job Tee
We love the design of this t-shirt featuring a suit-wearing skeleton in front of the entry of a mortuary. It’s eye-catching illustration and punny words will help you break the ice at any social event.
Funeral Director Mom Mug
Take pride in your ability to take on any challenge with this awesome coffee mug that celebrates funeral director mothers.
Life Magazine – Kennedy Funeral Issue
This is a must-have collector’s item for any funeral director. The 1963 issue of Life Magazine features photos and coverage of the historic funeral for President John F. Kennedy. Whether you display it proudly on your funeral home coffee table or keep it tucked away in your private collection, this is a vintage treasure we doubt you will regret purchasing for yourself. (Note, be sure to check Etsy if Amazon sells out of this item).
Last Responder Cap
Want to make the funeral director in your life’s heart grow fonder? Get them a hat that recognizes them as a last responder.
How the Business of Death Saved My Life By Caleb Wilde
Inspire the funeral director in your life with this highly-rated book from Funeral Director and popular blogger, Caleb Wilde. There’s a reason why Time Magazine recently referred to this book as a “must read” – it is a profound and illuminating book on mortality and the death care profession. Caleb draws from personal stories and reflects on his experiences working as a funeral director to reveal how understanding death can help us to live more enriching and fulfilled lives.
Funeral Director Christmas Tree Ornament
We’re loving these customizable Mortician Christmas ornaments from a fantastic Etsy shop we found this year called Quirk and Work. We stumbled upon this gem in their cleverly named “Sacred Weird Work” section, which is filled with unique ornaments and some awesome tees as well.
Hearse Wagon Wood and Metal DIY Set
Forget building model airplanes or putting ships in bottles, this DIY Hearse Wagon will let you embrace your crafty side while paying homage to the history of funeral service. Our favorite part is the coffin visible through the glass wagon. What mortician wouldn’t want to display the finished product on their desk while enjoying full bragging rights for building it?
Date Night Matching Hearse-Inspired Outfits
Picture hitting the town with your funeral service sweetheart, both rocking matching pink hearse-inspired outfits. Drop Dead Threads offers chic dress and button-up shirt options that seamlessly blend stylish date-night fashion with subtle funeral service flair—perfect for the profession’s most fashionable duos.
Pink Hearse Puff Sleeve Sweatheart Dress
Pink Hearse Button Up Mens Shirt
Mortician-Themed Lapel Pins
Keep your life’s calling close to your heart with these distinct, retro-inspired mortician pins.
Embalming Room Coffee Mug
Could there be a more perfect coffee mug for your prep room?
A Hearse Purse
Carry your essentials in a bag that’s to die for with a hearse-shaped purse—functional, fashionable, and a nod to funeral profession chic!
Porti-Boy Earrings
Turn a funeral service icon into a stylish statement with Porti-Boy earrings—a perfect blend of humor and heartfelt appreciation for embalmers. If you like these, you might also like these cool hearse earrings also available from the same Etsy store.
The Greatest People I Never Knew by Eric M. Daniels
This 5-star rated memoir by a funeral director recounts how the author was profoundly affected by the lives of many of the people served by his funeral home. The essays found within this novel are sure to inspire the director in your life to ponder and share about their own experiences in funeral service.
Six Feet Under: The Complete Series
There has never been a better time to revisit this Emmy award-winning HBO show, which takes place inside a family-owned funeral home. The show’s deep exploration into the meaning of life and death still resonates today as much as it did when it first aired 15 years ago. You’ll be amazed at the things you will pick up that you may not have noticed on your first viewing. (For example, did you know that the show writers predicted the Green Burial movement with their portrayal of Lisa’s death and burial?) This Christmas is the perfect time to get reacquainted with the Fisher family and give this rightfully celebrated show a second watch.
Amazon Prime Streaming Options
DVD Box Set
Adorable Porti-Boy Baseball T-Shirt
Add a touch of dark humor to your wardrobe with this hilarious embalmer’s t-shirt! Featuring a whimsical Porti-Boy sporting a super cute face, it’s the perfect way for embalmers to lighten the mood.
Funeral Themed Car Seat Covers
Add a touch of mortuary flair to your ride with these unique car seat covers featuring funeral-inspired imagery.
A Funeral Director’s Prayer Plaque
This beautifully designed canvas is the perfect addition for any funeral director’s office. It serves as a meaningful tribute and poignant reminder of the incalculable value of their work.
Please No More I’m On-Call Hoodie
Working on-call can be stressful. This comfy hoodie can help you feel more relaxed and prepared for those late-night death calls.
Funeral Director Antique Tools Wrist Watch
For directors who are fascinated by the history and progression of funeral service, this distinctive wristwatch makes the perfect gift. The old embalming instruments on the watch face invite you to reflect upon a much different time in funeral service.
Porti-Boy Badge Holder
A great gift for any deathcare professional who must carry a badge card. We would also love to see these floating around the expo hall at the NFDA and ICCFA Conventions.
Antique Funeral and Mourning Oddities Lot
This vintage collection includes antique funeral items more than 100 years old. Featuring rare items such as prayer cards, funeral procession mirror tags and original invoices, this antique collection is a great find for any funeral history aficionado.
Tis the Season Tee
We love this funeral director version of the classic Christmas tree on a vehicle image. It’s the perfect shirt to wear on your way to pick out the funeral home’s tree this year.
Great Gift Idea Suggested by a Director: The Heated Circulation Enhancing Lower Leg Massager.
What are some other great gifts for funeral directors? Leave us a comment and share what other items you think directors would love to receive
Related Reading
17 Totally Awesome and Completely Unnecessary Amazon Products for Funeral Directors
9 Ridiculous Funeral Marketing Ideas in Honor of April Fools’ Day
10 Reasons We’re Thankful to Work With Funeral Directors in Honor of Thanksgiving
2 Responses
Where’s the hearse purse?
Chris, we aren’t sure how we mistakenly left this awesome item off the list. Thank you for making us aware – we just added it!