I did not expect gifts in that situation, and I don't think anyone have me any. I did receive flowers, plants, cards. I admit that I did not care whatsoever about any of those things and in fact vividly remember looking at one plant that was delivered and thinking, "great, something else that will die." (Actually it lived a long time, and I still have the cards, 27 years later.)
It's a bad time and my best advice is to be gentle and generous in spirit. People really prove themselves as friends during times like these.