Holding a memorial service or funeral for your loved one is an intimate and meaningful way to celebrate his or her life. It is also a powerful way to say goodbye and bring closure to their passing. To make the service even more personal and meaningful, consider bringing some of the deceased’s personal items or mementos to share with others. These may include:

• Photos of your loved one

Bring respectful photos and images of the deceased. You may add them to a photo display to share with everyone who has come to pay tribute. Consider photos of them at life benchmarks, such as a graduation or retirement ceremony. Also consider the everyday things they did that made people smile. Share photos of them being the special person they were and help everyone in attendance remember them in that same way.

• Memorabilia

If your loved one was an avid fan of sports, music, literature, or any other following, consider bringing memorabilia that reflects this. If the deceased was a passionate football fan, bringing a jersey from their favorite team might be a good addition to the remembrance display.

• Art Installation

A candle installation, a painting series, or a photo collection might be a powerful way to remember the deceased. Honoring them with items that were close to their heart, or are symbols of their life, can help to ease the process of saying goodbye.

• Awards

If the deceased had earned awards or had been honored in any way, consider displaying their awards at the service. Such offerings will help enrich the display by illustrating some of their greatest strengths and achievements. When bringing these items to share at the service, remember that the family of the deceased will most often take them back home. They are offerings you can present to the family that may ease the process and help them to remember their loved one in the best light possible.

When bringing these items to share at the service, remember that the family of the deceased will most often take them back home. They are offerings you can present to the family that may ease the process and help them to remember their loved one in the best light possible.