Losing a loved one is never easy and although a funeral, wake or memorial service can temporarily make you feel closer to the deceased, the feeling usually wears off rather quickly once the service is over. If you are looking for a heartfelt way to remember your loved one for years to come, consider some of these unique ideas to honor the deceased.
Memorial Jewelry
There are literally thousands of options when it comes to memorial jewelry. You can choose gold, silver or something else entirely. Include charms, gemstones or other small items that remind you of your lost family member or friend. Have their name or a special quote or phrase etched into a piece of jewelry. Some pieces of jewelry can even include small flowers or a tiny amount of ashes if your loved one was cremated. You'll think of happy memories of your loved one every time you wear the piece.
Plant a Tree
Plenty of memorial tree programs such as The GreenWorld Project allow you to plant trees in memory of your loved one. Not only does this give you a way to remember the deceased and even provide you a place to sit and enjoy feeling the presence of your loved one, but it also helps the environment. Depending on which company or organization you contact or even if you simply go to your local farm supply store you can choose which type of tree or even choose flowers to go with it. Consider a wide variety of locations for planting, but keep in mind that some may require special permission.
- Your backyard
- Your front yard
- The deceased's place of employment
- The deceased's alma mater
- A favorite park
- Any other place significant to the deceased
Scatter Ashes
Although scattering ashes isn't really a new concept, many people still choose to keep the ashes of loved ones in an urn. However, you may consider taking a special road trip to scatter your loved one's ashes at his or her favorite places, keeping only a small amount as a way to memorialize your friend or family member. Consider his or her childhood home, favorite parks, the mountains, beaches, a vacation spot or anywhere else that was special during life.
Create Art
If you're an artist of some sort, memorialize your loved one with your talents. Write a song, a poem or a story, create a mural or watercolor painting, arrange a photograph collage, or create some other type of art. If you aren't particularly artistic but love the idea of memorial art, hire someone to design something for you. It could be a shirt, a mural in a room in your home or even a beautiful memorial website. You may even consider following the latest trend of creating unique and funny obituaries, especially if your lost loved one was a jokester.
Have a Fireworks Display
If it is legal in your state, consider having a fireworks display the evening of the funeral or on the anniversary of your loved one's passing each year. Whether small or large, using beautiful patterns and the deceased's favorite colors is a lovely way to remember him or her. Just remember to check your local ordinances, or with your local police or fire departments, before setting off any fireworks.
Set Up a Yearly Donation
Was the deceased involved with a particular organization or did he or she take a special interest in any cause? Donate a specific amount of money to a related charity or organization on their birthday each year. There are a wide variety of organizations at the local and national level.
- Homeless shelters
- Women's shelters
- Youth shelters
- Animal shelters
- Churches
- Arts programs
- Schools
Losing someone you love is never easy. The pain will never go away entirely, but you can ease it by finding ways to memorialize him or her. Remember, these are just examples. The important part of memorialization is to do something that is meaningful to your loved one or to the relationship you had together.
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