Six creative ideas to honour your loved one at a celebration of life
Taking time to celebrate the extraordinary life of your departed loved one can be a healing and uplifting experience. To honour their legacy, we’ve put together 6 creative ways that you can celebrate their life. From recipe books to a simple photo collage, there’s something for every family.
1. SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY ON A CHALKBOARD
Put up a large chalkboard at your gathering and ask everyone to write their favourite memory with that person. With fond memories on display, you can read stories you’ve never heard before. When everyone contributes, you’ll learn more about your loved one. It’s easy to source materials for your chalkboard from your local stationary or dollar store or a craft store like Michael’s.
2. CREATE A RECIPE BOOK WITH THEIR FAMOUS CREATIONS SO OTHERS CAN RECREATE THEM
Was your loved one known for their delicious pastries or cabbage rolls? Compile all of their dishes into a recipe book. For a more personalized book, you can add photos of them making these items, if there are any. Send a copy to a photo book company like Blacks or PIKTO and give them out to family and friends.
3. MEMORIAL COLLAGE
This is a great way to involve the entire family. Ask everyone to bring in their favourite photos of your loved one. Go through their yearbooks and photo albums and find any images you’d like to include. Your Arbor funeral home will provide resources, like poster board and frames, where you can attach photos using glue or sticky tack.
Make it digital: Will some family members join your event by video call? One way to immerse them is by working with your Arbor funeral home to create a slideshow version which can be played both online and by projection for those in person. Plus, by making it digital, you can also include video content.
4. CREATE A UNIQUE PLAYLIST OF THEIR FAVOURITE SONGS
Was your loved one a music lover? Why not compile all of their favourite songs to play during the event? Then, you can put all the songs onto a thumb drive and give them out as keepsakes afterwards. Alternatively, you can add them to a playlist on a streaming platform like Spotify or Apple Music so everyone can enjoy them whenever, wherever they are.
5. CREATE MEMORIAL STONES
Here’s a great opportunity to get a bit artsy. Stones can be placed in your garden as a unique and personalized keepsake of your loved one. You might source these from nature or from your local plant nursery or outdoor decor store. Set up a station at your event with paint, glitter, beads, and other materials people can use to decorate their stones.
6. MAKE A TRAVEL BOARD
If your loved one travelled a lot, consider putting a large map on display during the celebration of life. Then, stick thumbtacks on all the places they’ve visited. You can take it a step further and include any plane tickets, passports, or postcards of theirs.
Remembering your loved one can be as dynamic and special as their life.
At Sands Victoria by Arbor Memorial, we’re dedicated to helping you memorialize and uniquely remember your loved ones.