8 Unique Memorial Tribute Ideas to Remember a Loved One
Pondering memorial service ideas is a practice that can be healing and cathartic no matter how long it has been since your loved one passed away. Thecomplexity of griefdoes not end with the funeral. In fact, our feelings can evolve over time, as can the grieving process. As we move through our own lives, we may be looking for unique memorial ideas to preserve the memory of a loved one. Here are eight special commemorative ideas to spark your own ideas. Some are small memorial ideas, others are more sustainable. Each can be customized to suit your particular circumstances and preferences.
Donate to a charity
If your loved one has been active for a cause (or several) during their lifetime, it makes sense to continue their legacy by honoring that particular charity on their behalf. Memorial ideas like donating to a charity can be active or passive, which means they work for most budgets and schedules. Because it can be a small commemorative idea if you donate a smaller amount once, or a lasting commemorative idea if you donate more or over a longer period of time.
This can be a special memorial idea as it allows you to carry on your legacy. For example, if you volunteered with a local organization, you might choose to do the same; You could even recruit family and friends to volunteer together and then celebrate over a meal together. If you prefer a more passive but meaningful memorial idea, you can choose to donate money to an organization that was important to your loved one. Doing this on his or her behalf is a tangible way to ensure that their legacy lives on despite their death.
Plan a personal, intimate celebration
A beautiful, personal way to commemorate a loved one is to take time to do things that you once did together. Did you like to cook? If so, plan a family dinner and prepare one of their favorite dishes. You can even cook from her recipe and then share that recipe with everyone as a keepsake. And if your darling didn't feel comfortable in the kitchen? No problem; You can order your favorite food. The goal of this type of memorial tribute ideas is toshare the foodThey loved with the people they loved.
If you want more than just food, think about the activities your loved one has been doing at home. Did they love movies or a particular TV show? Keep hearing a certain singer or band? All of these activities can be incorporated into an evening celebrating your loved one. Host a movie marathon with their favorites while sharing fond memories of your time together, or create a playlist of their favorite songs and throw a dance party. Share the playlist with those who join you to celebrate the memory of your loved ones.
You might even learn something new in honor of your loved one. If they painted as a hobby, consider having a painting party in their memory. Or learn cross-stitch, horseshoes, brewing beer or knitting.
Take care of the earth
If your loved one was a gardener, you have a unique opportunity to continue their legacy by creating or tending a garden in their memory. This can be a beautiful, lasting memorial idea that even strangers will enjoy if you plant the garden in a front or side yard that is visible to passers-by.
You might consider planting native flowers and plants, building a rain garden, or creating a butterfly garden in memory of your loved one. Younger relatives might like to make personalized stepping stones to mark a path, or you could add a small, engraved stone near a favorite plant as a visual tribute to your loved one. Anything in the garden can be a memorial: if they enjoyed watching the hummingbirds, a beautiful feeder can be engraved with their name. It is the personal touch that makes the special commemoration.
You can commemorate a loved one in this way, even if, of course, he was not a gardener. Consider adding their name to a bank at apremises Park(or have a bench installed with their name on it), sponsor a community garden, or participate in a day-long cleanup to beautify the community they once loved.
Another memorial idea to celebrate your loved one and the great outdoors is to plant something in their name. A tree or rose bush can be a beautiful, lasting reminder of the impact they left on the world. Many rose bushes are named after people, making it easy to choose a suitable one. If your loved one's name isn't alreadythe name of a rose bush, consider choosing her favorite color or another option, like a lilac or peony bush.
Make a personalized keepsake
If you have clothes that belonged to your loved one, you can turn them into keepsakes. Some people turn t-shirts into blankets, while others turn pants, jeans, and shirts into teddy bears. You can also frame a piece of clothing to hang on the wall as a keepsake, or give a beautiful dress or warm coat to someone whose fashion sense matches your loved one's.
You can be just as creative with the jewelery of your loved ones. Consider passing on sentimental pieces or alternatively melting them down to create a new keepsake. This can be an especially lasting memorial idea if you make matching pendants or earrings for each family member.
Be a philanthropist
An enduring way to honor the legacy of a loved one iscreate a grant on their behalf,perhaps at their alma mater or a local educational institution that was important to you or your family. Think about their profession or interests and go from there.
Use social media
Facebook allows users to create a "reminder page" once a person has passed. This means people can still view and interact with the profile, which can help share memories or remember important dates.
You can also use the internet to commemorate your loved one by creating an online scrapbook or memory board. Pinterest and various blogging platforms are easy and free ways to instantly share photos and memories with family and friends near and far. Like mourning, memorial ideas can change over time. Using new resources that become available can make it easier to create a lasting memory of your loved one.
Organize a message sharing
A personal, intimate way to remember and celebrate a loved one is to write reminders or messages about them on sticky notes and then attach the notes to helium-filled balloons with ribbon. You can then release the balloons and watch them float into the sky. This is a beautiful memorial idea that can become an annual tradition and can be done individually or with others. Memorial ideas like these are attractive because they accommodate both people who prefer to keep their thoughts private and those who want to openly share a few memories or thoughts with others in attendance. If there is a specific song that reminds you of your loved one, you can also listen to it while watching the balloons float away.
share the love
If your loved ones love to read, consider making custom self-adhesive bookplates that stick to the inside of books, then place them in Little Free Libraries or on Leave-One-Take-One shelves at coffee shops and community centers. This memorial idea is a great way to repurpose a personal library once a person has passed away. You can also sometimes donate to your local library or schools. A memorial idea that springs from a loved one's hobbies is a beautiful, personal memorial idea that will continue their legacy.
There are countless other ways to commemorate a loved one. What is most important is that the memorial idea (or memorial ideas) you choose honors their memory and helps you feel most at peace.All here at Bateman-Allenwould like to support you in any way we can and we are here for all your questions. Please reach out to us if we can offer any assistance.