2 Creative Ways To Personalize Your Loved One's Funeral

If your responsibility is to plan the funeral of a loved one who has recently passed, you may decide that you wish to honor their memory and celebrate their life by making their service more personal. If so, the tips below may help you think outside of the box and come up with creative ways to personalize your loved one's funeral.

1.  Have Visitors Help Create a Memory Tree

One way you can personalize your loved one's funeral service is to encourage visitors to contribute to the creation of a memory tree. This tree is covered with slips of paper that have memories of your loved one written on them.

You can use either a real tree or create one out of pipe cleaners or cardboard. Have tags sitting next to the tree with pens, and ask visitors to jot down a favorite memory of the recently deceased.

Set this tree up at the beginning of the visitation hours, and leave it up so that anyone coming by to pay their last respects can read them. Then, during the service, read some or all of the memories to share the precious moments of your loved one's life with everyone who attends.

2.  Give Out Seed Packets as the Memorial Cards

Another creative way to make your loved one's funeral service more personal and to extend their memory is a twist on the usual memorial cards. Instead of passing out plain cards with the deceased person's picture and details, have seed packets printed with the information, along with a favorite quote or a reminder that even in death, love and life can grow. 

While the seed packets are ideal for remembering avid gardeners or someone who loved flowers, they can be used for anyone. They can be further personalized by using seeds of your loved one's favorite flowers.

After the service, anyone who wishes can plant the seeds in their flower beds or pots. Then, as the flowers grow, the person can have a living reminder of your loved one, and the blooms will hopefully bring them fond memories of the deceased as the flowers continue to grow.

The above are only a couple of examples on how you can personalize your loved one's memorial service. For more tips on being creative so that you can fully celebrate your love one's life, speak with a funeral planning services representative from a funeral home.