Keeping a loved one’s memory alive after their funeral can be done in many ways. You could visit their final resting place regularly or you could light a candle for them during family celebrations. Another way that you could remember a loved one is by making funeral keepsakes for yourself and other close family members. It’s a good way of keeping your loved one close. And it’ll help you through your grief in a way that works for you.
Funeral keepsake ideas
Here are 7 funeral keepsake ideas that you could make or put together with the help of family and friends.
A memorial candle
If you’d like to make personalised funeral keepsakes, a memorial candle is a good option. It can be a DIY funeral keepsake – there are lots of candle making kits available. Or it can be bought and adapted so that it’s unique. There are many memorial candles you can buy online, and you could even get a candle holder with a personalised inscription for your loved one. So that even when your memorial candle is beginning to melt away you can either keep the candle holder as a reminder of your loved one or replace the candle so that you can carry on lighting it at special occasions.
A memorial tree
If you’ve been researching keepsake ideas for the funeral and want something that you and other family members can go and visit, a memorial tree could be just the thing. Planting a tree in memory of someone is a special way of celebrating their life and also provides you with a physical place to return to and pay your respects when you like. There are many ways to organise this. You could:
- Plant a memorial tree at home in your own garden. This could be a spot where you scatter or bury some of the person’s ashes too. But keep in mind that there are some rules that apply when you bury an urn, especially if you live in a rental property.
- Get in touch with a public park or somewhere that the person who passed away liked to visit and ask if you can plant a tree in their memory.
- Research natural burial grounds in the UK and see if this is suitable for your loved one’s funeral.
A funeral keepsake box
This funeral keepsake idea is a good opportunity for other family members and friends to get involved and add their own memories of your loved one too. You could buy a specially made keepsake box and personalise it with your loved one’s name. And you can add photos and important mementoes that mean a lot to you or remind you of the good times you had together. You could also add the order of service from the funeral and cards of condolence. This funeral keepsake is a great way to collaborate with your family and take the time to go through your favourite photos together. This can help you regularly come together and revisit the memories in the funeral keepsake box so you can celebrate your loved one’s life when you like.
You can find out more about funeral keepsake boxes in our guide to creating a memory box.
Funeral keepsake jewellery
If you’re looking or a subtle funeral keepsake idea, then a piece of memorial jewellery is a good option. You could have a small pendant, bracelet, or ring specially made and engraved with their initials. Or it could just be a symbolic piece that only has meaning for you. Alternatively, if your loved one was cremated, you could get a small amount of their ashes incorporated into a piece of jewellery so that you can keep them close wherever you are.
You can find more info about keepsake jewellery in our guide to memorial jewellery.
Funeral flower keepsakes
If you’ve had the funeral and you’re not sure what to do with the flowers afterwards, you can make them into a unique keepsake. From pressing the flowers to incorporating them into a glass ornament, there are many ways to preserve them and create unique funeral keepsake gifts.
For more info on how to preserve funeral flowers and turn them into keepsakes read our article: 5 funeral flower keepsake ideas and how to make them.
Funeral ashes keepsakes
If your loved one is being cremated and you’d like to have a funeral keepsake specifically to store their ashes, there are a lot of options to choose from. A traditional memorial urn is the most popular option. You can display the urn somewhere special at home and you may even choose to share the ashes amongst close family members using smaller keepsake urns – this is a good way of making sure other family members can pay their respects in their own way too.
Alternatively, you could get a keepsake memory bear. There are lots of these available online that can be personalised with your chosen quote or name. And many of them have a small tin where the ashes can be stored and put inside the bear. That way, you can keep them close when you need them. Other funeral ashes keepsakes you can buy online include jewellery, ornaments, candles, and hanging decorations for special occasions.
Funeral memory book
If you’re already putting together a memory book for the funeral for people to write their own messages in, this can be saved as a funeral keepsake too. If you’ve made a digital version this could be shared on social media with family and friends so that they can take a look at the photos and comments when they like. Or if you’ve made a physical copy for guests to sign, it gives you all an opportunity to come together on special family occasions and revisit the memory book to chat about your loved one and the times you had together.
Hopefully, our funeral keepsake ideas have given you some inspiration and helped you figure out which is right for you. Whether you’re putting together small funeral keepsakes for guests or you’re making something more personal for close family members, it’s an excellent way to pay your respects and regularly celebrate the life of your loved one.
