Funeral Favors and Memorial Keepsakes in Honor of a Loved One
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one. In the same way, funeral or memorial services are tough to go through. Still, while others opt for the traditional way to conduct these services, others prefer to treat a funeral as a celebration of life. This is why some people choose to give out funeral keepsakes or favors made in their loved one’s honor.
If this sounds like the type of funeral service you think the recently deceased would have appreciated, you can consider doing the same. There are many different types of funeral favors and memorial keepsakes that you can choose from, so you're sure to find something that fits your needs and preferences. Some gift ideas include bookmarks or candles, but you can also work on some DIY memorial keepsakes.
Whatever you decide, the important thing is that you’ll choose a funeral gift that will allow you and your guests to remember your loved one fondly.
What Are Funeral Favors?
If you’re familiar with “party favors,” funeral favors are pretty similar to that but for a different occasion. Funeral favors are small gifts or tokens given to guests at a funeral or memorial service. They express gratitude for attending the funeral or act as a memento of the person who passed away.
12 Funeral Favors for Guests at a Memorial
Bookmarks
Bookmarks are simple yet memorable favors you can give out to the funeral service attendees. A bookmark can contain a special quote or message that people can associate with your loved one. They’re easy to give out and can last a long while, allowing guests to remember a loved one whenever they open their favorite books.
Treats for guests
For a more relaxed, leisure time feel, consider offering homemade treats or snacks at the service, showcasing the food and drink-related ideas loved by the deceased. This can create a comforting, communal atmosphere, allowing guests to share stories and memories over food that was significant to the loved one.
Cookies
If you have a knack for baking, you can give out delectable treats that guests would surely appreciate. But, of course, if you’d rather purchase, it’s perfectly fine. To turn batches of cookies into favors, individually pack them in pouches or wrap them with your chosen material. To make each one more personal, you can also tie it with a small note.
Shot glasses
Shot glasses are typical mementos given on different occasions, so you can also consider giving these away during a funeral service. This would be most appropriate if the idea of giving away shot glasses matches the personality that the recently deceased had. For instance, perhaps they were the life of the party or had a knack for enjoying drinks. You can personalize these glasses by customizing a design or a few words that can remind attendees of your loved one.
Keychains
If that funeral favor might not be the most fitting one, you could also consider giving out keychains. Choose a simple design that can honor their family or friend. For example, suppose the person loved photography. In that case, you can give away camera keychains, or if they had a passion for helping animals, you could choose their favorite animal as a design. Otherwise, you can always personalize a keychain engraved with a loved one’s name.
Angel Wings Pocket Charm Memorial
These pewter pocket charms are delicate and meaningful. Shaped like angel wings, they serve as a comforting reminder of the loved one's presence in spirit. They're small enough to be carried in a pocket or purse, allowing guests to feel connected to the deceased at any time. The charms can also be attached to a keychain or placed in a special area at home.
Prayer Cards
Traditional and sentimental, these cards can feature a favorite prayer, religious text, or meaningful quote that resonates with the loved one's beliefs. They can be beautifully designed to reflect the personality of the deceased and serve as a tangible piece of comfort for guests to take home and reflect upon.
Favorite recipe cards
Sharing the deceased's favorite recipes on beautifully designed cards is a touching tribute. It allows guests to recreate and enjoy the loved one's cherished dishes, keeping their memory alive through shared meals and family gatherings. These cards can be customized with personal notes or anecdotes about the recipes, making them even more special.
Photo Collage
A photo collage is a creative and engaging way to display and celebrate life's significant moments. By combining various photographs into one cohesive piece, a collage can tell a story, commemorate an event, or reflect the journey of a relationship. It's a versatile form of art that allows for personalization and creativity, incorporating not just images but also textures, colors, and sometimes text. Photo collages make for meaningful wall art or thoughtful gifts, encapsulating memories in a visually striking way.
Flower Name Artwork
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Flower name artwork is a delightful and artistic way to personalize space or give a meaningful gift. This art form involves creating representations of names or words using illustrations of flowers, where each letter is adorned with a specific type of bloom. Such artworks not only add a botanical elegance to any setting but also carry a personal touch, making them perfect for nurseries, wedding gifts, or as a way to celebrate someone special. The combination of floral beauty and personalized letters creates a unique and charming piece that is both visually appealing and emotionally resonant
Personalized Seed Packets
Another good idea for a funeral favor is a seed packet with personalized seed cards. One of the most popular funeral favors, it’s a heartwarming item to give as attendees can grow plants and have their memories of their loved one live along with it.
Choose seeds you want to give out (for example, wildflower seed or sunflower seed packets), think of or select a few memorial seed packet sayings, and use that to decorate each packet. Of course, you can look for shops to help you print your chosen quote on the packets, but you can always make a DIY project if you have the time.
Customized Candle Holders
Lastly, you can give out candle holders with customized designs. Similar to previous favors, the design would depend on how you want your loved one to be remembered. For example, it can be designed with their name, favorite quote, or an image that attendees can associate them with. You can also place a candle in memory of the deceased that they can light during the funeral service.
7 Funeral Keepsakes for Family Members
While there’s no strict rule about giving different items specifically for family members, especially since giving these out during funerals is a present-day practice, you might prefer to give personalized funeral keepsakes for those closest to the recently deceased instead of funeral favors.
A keepsake is a small item someone keeps to help them remember a particular person. Giving them during a funeral can also help family members share their memories should they want to do so. With that, here are some funeral keepsake options to give to family members:
Necklace
One of the most popular choices would be a necklace that reminds a family member of their loved one. Some prefer something simpler by engraving their loved one’s name or initials on a necklace charm, while others prefer having a small urn necklace to keep some of their loved one’s ashes close to their hearts. Whatever the design or structure of the necklace may be, it’s an excellent keepsake to keep their family in their memories.
Custom Handmade Portrait
Nothing like a painting allows you to keep your memories of a loved one alive. You can commission an artist to create a handmade portrait of the deceased as a heartfelt way to honor and remember this special individual and their wonderful life.
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Small Photos
Keeping the same idea, if you prefer actual photos of your loved one, you can give these out instead. For example, if you’ve taken polaroid photos before, you can give your favorite photo to each family member. If you want to compile multiple photos, another good idea is to print small ones and create a mini tribute photo album that family members can easily display or carry around to remember personal memories.
Pocketbook
If your loved one particularly loved books, another good keepsake idea is to give out pocketbooks. If you know their favorite books or authors, you can look for small versions of these books to give to family remembers. Reading these literary works can help them remember the person who shared a passion for reading.
Engraved Pens
Photo by Miles Burke from Unsplash
Alternatively, perhaps you’d want to give a memento people use for writing instead of reading. You can engrave pens with the deceased’s name or initials. This keepsake is very handy and allows people to think about their loved one in the simplest way.
Personalized Memorial Coin
Another good keepsake you can give is a personalized coin. Similar to a challenge coin, you can choose or come up with a sign or logo that family members can associate with the deceased’s personality or even life’s work. These loving memory coins can readily be displayed at home or carried around, allowing family members to have a memento at family gatherings.
Voice Memorial
A voice memorial is a deeply personal and innovative way to cherish the memory of a loved one. It involves transforming a recording of the person's voice into a unique visual art piece, often using soundwave patterns. This form of artwork not only captures the essence of a voice but also serves as a poignant and lasting memento. The visual representation of their words or laughter offers a powerful and emotional connection, making it a treasured keepsake for families and friends.
Memorial Tree Funeral
Photo by Katy Mccray from Unsplash
Planting a tree in memory of the loved one, perhaps in a family garden, as a living tribute. This tree serves as a lasting, growing symbol of the deceased's life and legacy. Family members can gather around it during anniversaries or special occasions, remembering and celebrating the life of their loved one.
Memory Box
Lastly, if it’s difficult to decide on a single object, you can give a memory box filled with various significant items. Some people prefer keepsakes owned by the deceased themself, so if it would be okay for you and your family members, you can do the same for this memory box. For example, you can fill it with their favorite jewelry, letters, or old CDs they might have owned.
Otherwise, you can fill it up with other small things that you think can keep your loved one's life in memory, like old photos or small notes of written anecdotes of special memories with this person.
When to Give Out Favors and Keepsakes
After considering which favors and keepsakes you want, you might wonder when you should give these out. There’s really no specific answer to this question, as there are no established rules about when it would be appropriate (at least not yet) since this is one of the new trends in funerals.
It would entirely depend on what you consider the best time and the types of favors or keepsakes you’re giving out. For example, if it’s a small favor, like bookmarks, you can give them before the start of a funeral service. On the other hand, if you think it would be difficult for your guests to carry around and would find it easier to take it straight home, you can give them away after the service.
Final Thoughts
Whatever you choose for your funeral giveaways, remember that the key is to choose something personal and unique that will show your guests how much you appreciate them coming out to support you during this difficult time. Among the options presented, which funeral favor and keepsake would you choose?
