|
Five Unique and Affordable Ideas For
Planning a Funeral, Memorial Services Or Celebration of
Life
By Mary Hickey
I have often been asked for unique ideas for
personalizing funerals and memorial services without
spending a lot of money. I am going to share five ideas
with you that you will find helpful as you go about
creating the ultimate tribute to your loved one.
The first idea is name tags. You may not have seen name
tags used at funerals or memorial services in the past.
When people stayed in the same community their entire
lives, name tags were probably not as necessary because
most people knew each other. Today, children often move
away from their childhood communities and parents often
move to retirement communities. When people gather for
the service more than likely they will see some new
faces. Even if the faces are familiar, as we get older
we tend to forget names and how we know someone. This
can make social situations like funerals awkward. I
recommend a name tag with an area where people fill in,
"How I Knew Pam Smith".
Now attendees have not only the person's name but the
relationship. A conversation such as, "Oh you were in
Pam's painting group, do you paint landscapes like Pam
did?" Avery labels that you can purchase at any office
supply store work great for nametags. You can visit the
Avery website to download the Avery template 5164. You
can personalize the name tag with clip art, a favorite
color, saying or if there is a theme to the service like
flowers or butterflies you can incorporate that theme
into the name tag. You may want to set a table at the
entrance to the service where people can fill out their
tag. Suggest that they write their name clear and in
large print.
The second idea is to have a memory table. This table
may be set up opposite from the name tag table or
perhaps both tables could be set up along an entry way
in a row. On the table you will want to place items that
were important to the person whom you've lost. If they
were into knitting you may want to include a beautiful
scarf or sweater, photo graphs are also great to put
here. If they were collectors you may want to include
some of their prized items from their collection.
Tickets to favorites sporting events or concerts would
also be appropriate to put on the table. The idea is to
capture the essence of the person on the table so anyone
can see what this person was into. Golf scorecards if
they were a golfer or if they were a gardener perhaps
clipping from their garden. If they had a favorite food
or candy you could have a bowl where guests could help
themselves.
The third idea is a memorial or funeral memory or guest
book. I prefer guest books that incorporate photos of
the decreased and a space to write a bit about the life
that they led. Instead of just having a book to write in
names of people who attended how about if the person is
encouraged to write how they knew the departed. A book
full of names of people many of whom you don't know
becomes a pretty meaningless book. Some books even have
a place for memory cards. You'll read about them in the
next idea.
The fourth idea is remembrance cards. The cards are
designed for family and friends to write on at the
service. You can use any 3x5 cards for this purpose,
either white or colored cards. At the service, I
recommend taking a break between eulogies and the person
who is leading the service can suggest that people write
their memory on the cards. A couple of relatives or
friends can hand out the cards or they can be placed in
pews or on chairs. It is best to incorporate them into
the service; otherwise people will put them in their
pocket and forget to send them to you. You really only
have one chance to capture these memories.
These cards can be shared on holidays, the departed's
birthday, or anytime you want to remember the special
and unique person you loved and lost. These cards can
then be handed down to generations to come. Make sure to
provide extra pens, in case people don't have a pen with
them.
The fifth idea is seed cards. These cards are made of
special handmade paper that has seeds embedded into the
paper. When you plant the cards, wildflowers or
forget-me-not seeds will grow in memory of your loved
one. You can place these in your garden, at the grave
site or perhaps even where the cremated remains were
scattered. The cards can be personalized with a tribute
to your loved one at no additional charge.
I hope you've found these ideas helpful and that they
help you to add a personal touch the life that you are
celebrating.
Mary Hickey is an urn designer and thought leader in the
funeral industry. For some drastically needed new life
celebration ideas, contemporary memorial poems and
verses, memorial cards and memorial gifts visit her site
Next Gen Memorials. She is co-founder of Renaissance Urn
Company, based in San Francisco.
Find these ideas and more at Memorial Cards and Funeral
Gifts.
For poems, verses, and sayings, visit Funeral Poems. |
