When you lose your loved one, you often feel lost. Many details go into planning end-of-life services, and one that may come to mind is what memorial gifts to consider giving funeral guests.
These mementos should reflect the dearly departed’s personality. Keeping this fact in mind can help when you’re trying to decide what to gift mourners. Let’s look at some thoughtful options.
Prayer Cards
Most funerals often give out prayer cards. They pay tribute to the deceased while containing meaningful scripture on them. Prayer cards have Catholic roots that date back to the 1700s, but many faiths use them today to honor those who have passed. They often contain a photo of the deceased and religious imagery.
Funeral Program
While you may not think of it immediately, a well-crafted funeral program can be a memorial gift to consider giving funeral guests. They are like prayer cards, though they go into greater detail, as they have the order of events for the service.
These booklets can do a beautiful job of telling the story of your loved one and can include the following:
- A photo of the loved one
- The obituary
- Poems and prayers
A key component in putting this pamphlet together is the cover page. Consider these funeral program photo selecting tips to ensure you choose a picture that appropriately represents your lost loved one.
Bookmarks
If your loved one always enjoyed reading, you may want to give your guests bookmarks. This memorial gift is practical and helps people remember the deceased by engaging in an activity they loved while alive.
To make the bookmarks extra special, you can decorate them in ways that reflect your loved one’s personality with their favorite colors and designs. A beautiful addition is adding a quote from their favorite author.
Coasters
Another wonderful and practical memorial gift is a coaster. These are perfect if your loved one enjoyed going to restaurants or drinking coffee every morning. Like the bookmark, you can put one of their favorite quotes on the coaster. You also may want to incorporate a photo in the design.
Final Thoughts
Memorial gifts are a deeply personal way to honor the memory of those who have passed. Prayer cards and memorial programs are traditional ways to remember them, but you can also consider your loved one’s personality if you want something different. No matter what you decide, these mementos will mean a lot to funeral guests.
