4 IMAGINATIVE WAYS TO MAKE A FUNERAL MORE PERSONAL AND MEMORABLE
Losing a loved one can be one of the most difficult and emotionally challenging times for any person. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be creative when remembering a loved one through a solemn but meaningful interment service. Gone are the days of boilerplate funerals where the service looks and feels the same regardless of who was being honoured. Now, you can easily personalise a funeral service and make that moment of honouring the deceased a lot more memorable for everyone. The following ideas are some of the most creative ways to add a personal touch to a funeral service.
1. Establish a Memorial Donation
Establishing a memorial donation is one of the noblest ways of remembering a person. A memorial donation is a charitable gift made in honour of a person who has died and can be set up by the funeral director. Your loved one may have spent a reasonable amount of time supporting philanthropic organisations or may have valued certain charitable causes. If you want to continue their kindness and generosity as a way to honour their efforts, then a memorial donation would be a thoughtful tribute. In lieu of flowers, you can request friends, family members, and others who mourn the deceased to send donations for the charitable organisation you have chosen.
2. Find a Way to Include Their Favorite Things
Every person is unique with their own personal quirks and things that they love. Consider how you might incorporate these things into the funeral. It could be something as simple as asking people to wear a favourite colour, listening to their music of preference, or you can go as far as to display the deceased’s collection, artwork, or personal belongings. This is an excellent way of sharing what was most precious to your loved one and helps to remember their interests and personality.
3. Create a Unique Photo Display
During the funeral service or the reception, you can create a unique photo display where you can show some of the deceased’s pictures containing their most treasured memories. Most crematoria now have media systems that can display visual tributes, photograph slideshows and video that can be accompanied by music. Physical photos can also be displayed on easels, tables or next to the coffin. You and your family could display photos at the gathering after the service and let other people view them and recall some of their fondest memories of the person who has died. This will create a beautiful and memorable atmosphere for the service.
4. Invite Guests to Take an Item Home
This could be an extension of the previously mentioned display of the deceased’s favourite things. If you’re willing to let go of some of these items, then you can invite guests to take an item home after the service. For example, if your loved one was a voracious reader or an avid collector of memorabilia, consider taking some of their collection to the ceremony with a note saying that guests can take one of the items in honour of the deceased’s memory. In doing so, you allow guests to leave with a tangible reminder of your loved one, creating a meaningful experience for everyone.
Conclusion
When thinking of a well-beloved person, we often reflect on the wonderful traits that made them the person they are even when they pass away. This is why making a funeral service as personal as possible is probably one of the best ways of celebrating that person’s life. Hopefully, these ideas should help you come up with a fitting way to honour your loved one.
Holmes and Family believes that the perfect funeral should be about the celebration of your loved one’s life. We are a small family-owned business with a passion for organising funerals that reflects the beliefs, values, and life of the person who has died through our direct funeral services. Give us a call and let our team help provide you with the support that you need.