How to Welcome a Loved One Home from Military Service

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A loved one coming home from military service, whether on rotation, leave or after demobilisation, is a moment people wait for over weeks and months. You want everything to be perfect: flowers, hugs, a festive table. Yet the best welcome is not one staged "like in the movies", but one prepared for this particular person and how they feel after a long journey. All our advice for men is in one place — a man’s guide to choosing and giving flowers.

Here are tips on preparing the welcome, which flowers to choose for him or for her, and how to greet them if you are far away yourself.

First, ask what kind of welcome they want

Some dream of a noisy party with friends, others of quiet, a shower and their own bed. If possible, gently ask in advance or consult those who know the person well. A surprise crowd on the platform may not be what someone wants after a long journey. Most often, the first day is best spent with the closest people, and the big celebration can wait.

Which flowers to choose

• For her: any flowers she loves; the classic choice is red roses, a symbol of love and of how much she was missed.
• For him: a restrained mono bouquet of dark roses, chrysanthemums or an arrangement with greenery. How to choose a bouquet for a man is covered in flowers for a man; ready options are in flowers for men.
• From the children: a small bouquet the child hands over themselves, which is what people remember most.

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More about flowers for service members and veterans is in flowers for veterans.

Station or home: where to hand over the bouquet

Trains run late and platforms are crowded, so a big bouquet, balloons and posters at the station often get in the way more than they help. A good option is to meet the person with a small bouquet and have the main arrangement delivered home for the time of arrival. That way the flowers wait at home instead of freezing in your hands if the train is delayed.

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A few helium balloons or a "Welcome home" sign in the hallway create a sense of celebration and ask nothing of the person who has returned. See our balloons.

What to prepare at home

• A favourite dish, the one they mentioned on the phone.
• Clean sheets and a hot shower, the best gift after a long journey.
• Quiet. Agree with the family that guests will not come straight away.
• Space. Do not over-plan the first days; let the person decide how to spend them.
• A basket of fruit or treats on the table is a nice touch; fruit baskets are easy to order in advance.

The first days together

There is no need to ask about service straight away: the person will talk when ready. Listen when they want to talk, and do not take it personally if they want silence. Familiar little things, such as coffee together, a walk or a favourite film, often mean more than a loud party. If you see that one of you is struggling, support from loved ones and professionals is normal and right.

Card messages

• Welcome home. We waited for you every single day.
• The house is full again. Thank you for coming back.
• We are proud of you. Now, rest.
• You are home. Everything else can wait.
• The best day of this year is today.

More wording is in what to write on a flower card.

Gifts besides flowers

• Home food they’ve missed: a favourite dish, baking, homemade preserves.
• Warm, practical things for resting: a soft throw, comfortable loungewear, good socks.
• Time together: a walk around favourite places, a trip to nature, an evening without guests or rush.
• A photo book or letters from children and family — a reminder of how much they were awaited.

It’s best to ask in advance: after service people often need peace and quiet rather than a big party.

If you are far away yourself

It is not always possible to meet in person: work, another city or another country can get in the way. Then a bouquet delivered home for the day of return, with warm words on the card, says what you would say in person. How to arrange delivery from abroad and account for the time difference is covered in how to send flowers to Ukraine from abroad.

What matters most in such a welcome is not the bouquet or the table, but the feeling that the person was awaited and can be at peace here. Flowers simply help say it.

For warm words on October 1, see our Day of Defenders of Ukraine wishes.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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