Creative Ideas to Remember Your Loved One

One of the most important things that a bereaved individual can do to help them as they grieve is to express their grief in mourning rituals and activities. I think this is true because it gives voice and form to our feelings of loss and helps us take concrete steps in remembering and honoring our loved ones. In other words, it helps us put our grief into action. We all are different and, therefore, different ways to memorialize and remember our loved one will appeal to us or be meaningful to us. Below are a variety of things we can do to help us memorialize or honor our loved one’s memory. The only limit is your creativity!

Memorial Ideas:

1. Keep a memory journal. As you think of happy memories, write a few lines about what made that a special moment. You may even want to add photos. 
2. Make a scrapbook or photo album or frame/shadow box special memories. You could hang their favorite verse, saying, or poem on the wall as well. 
3. Memorial jewelry can be made out of wedding rings or you may simply want to wear your loved one’s favorite piece of jewelry. Lockets with photos or locks of hair can also be meaningful.
4. Use your loved one’s clothing to make or have made pillow covers, quilts, or teddy bears. Ties, t-shirts, and shirts can all be used. 
5. Many types of gifts can be made utilizing your loved one’s handwriting – pillow shams, jewelry, wall hangings, for example. There are many ideas for these items on Etsy.
6. Many people find it meaningful to design and get a memorial tattoo.
7. Starting a foundation, event, or scholarship in your loved one’s memory
8. Plant a memorial garden, or add special paving/stepping stones to the yard or maybe plant a tree in your loved one’s memory.
9. Many things can be made with ashes of a loved one – jewelry, paperweights, and Christmas ornaments are examples. 
10. Make a memorial Christmas ornament. 
11. Memorial artwork – either create your own or have one commissioned. 
12. Create a book – of recipes or family stories, perhaps.
13. Do an act of kindness or charity on your loved one’s birthday or death anniversary – in their honor. 
14. Finish a project your loved one was working on – or do one you feel your loved one would have been proud of. 
15. Host a memorial celebration at a later date with close friends and family.
16. Watch your loved one’s favorite movie, or read their favorite book, or play a game they enjoyed, eat their favorite meal or dessert, and remember them with joy.
17. You may find it comforting to wear a piece of your loved one’s clothing – a t-shirt or tie, perhaps. 
18. Create a tribute video of favorite photos, quotes, memories. 
19. Take a trip or have an adventure your loved one always wanted to experience.
20. On their birthday eat their favorite food, or on a family holiday, make some dish they loved.

Other ideas are online at Etsy and on Pinterest. Craft supplies are available at Hobby Lobby. Be creative and do something meaningful to you! Have you done anything creative and meaningful as you remember your loved one? Please share your ideas in the comments.