Benison

A blessing or spoken wish for another person's happiness.

Reach for it when using an old literary word for a sincere blessing

The travelers carried their grandmother's benison into the uncertain season.

• everyday

  good wishes

  a secular audience needs plain affectionate language

  not when Good wishes lack benison's sacred or literary resonance.

• warm

  blessing

  familiar language for goodwill or divine favor is preferred

  not when Blessing can also mean a fortunate thing rather than spoken wishes.

• formal

  benediction

  a ceremonial blessing closes a religious gathering

  not when Benediction is more institutional and usually has a formal setting.

• formal

  prayer

  the words are explicitly addressed to a deity

  not when A prayer may request help for oneself and need not bless another person.

• literary

  grace

  divine favor or a short blessing before food is meant

  not when Grace has many unrelated senses and can obscure the intended act.

• curse
• malediction
• ill wish

• give a benison

  The elder rose to give a benison before the boats departed.

• parting benison

  Her parting benison steadied the young musicians before the tour.

• mother's benison

  He remembered his mother's benison whenever the work felt lonely.

Benison is archaic or literary. Blessing will be clearer in most modern contexts.