Memorial packages: how many are made and what goes in them
For those invited who can't stay for the meal: how they're counted, what goes in them, when they're prepared and what happens to the ones left over.
At every memorial, some of those invited don't stay for the meal: they're at work, they have a long drive, they have small children. Packages are prepared so they can take the offering with them. Below is how they're counted and what goes in them, as it's usually asked of us around Iași.
How many packages are made
It isn't a rule, it's a count: one package for each person invited who isn't staying for the meal, plus a few for neighbours, for those who helped, and for the elderly or unwell who couldn't come.
Better two or three left over than one missing for someone who was invited. They're counted separately from the number sitting at the table — these are different people, not the same ones.
What goes in the package
The food is the same as on the table: the main course with a side, something from the starters and from dessert. That way, whoever leaves early receives the full offering, not just a piece of colac.
Besides the food, many families add a colac or a piece of one, a candle and some fruit. Some give the food on an actual plate, with cutlery and a cup, and the dishes stay with whoever receives them — also as an offering.
Lenten or non-fasting
Packages follow the day of the memorial, exactly as the meal does. If the day is a fasting one, lenten dishes go in; if it's a day when the fast is lifted, the non-fasting ones.
They aren't mixed: a non-fasting package given on a fasting day puts the person receiving it in an awkward position.
When they're prepared
They're best ready before people start getting up from the table. Otherwise everyone gathers at the door and they're handed out in a rush, and a few leave without one.
We make them in advance, along with the meal. Tell us the number when you order, separately from the guests staying at the table; if you want packages beyond that number, they're added to the composition.
What happens to the packages left over
They stay with the family and are given on, still as an offering: to neighbours, to those who couldn't come, to people at the church.
That's why it's better to have some to spare than to fall short: an extra package always finds someone.
Frequently asked
What families ask us
How many memorial packages are given?
One for each person invited who isn't staying for the meal, plus a few for neighbours, for those who helped and for those who couldn't come. They're counted separately from those at the table.
What goes into a memorial package?
The same dishes as on the table: the main course with a side, something from the starters and from dessert. Many families add a colac, a candle and fruit, following the custom of the house.
Are packages lenten or non-fasting?
They follow the day the memorial falls on, like the meal. A fasting day means lenten dishes; a day when the fast is lifted means non-fasting ones.
Are packages included in the price of the meal?
They hold the same dishes as the meal, so they're part of the count per person. If you want packages beyond the number of guests, they're added to the composition — tell us the number when you order.
Do you prepare packages if the meal isn't held at your place?
Yes. We cook and deliver to the address where the meal is held, and the packages arrive ready. Within the city of Iași delivery is included in the price.
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