Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things you will ever go through. The grieving process is long and grueling, and you’ll spend hours every day simply thinking about them and reliving happy memories that you shared together.
Finding ways to keep your late relative’s memory alive can be helpful during the grieving period and beyond. You can keep them close and constantly remind yourself of how amazing they are, which provides comfort and emotional support when you need it most.
Below, we’ve listed some of the most thoughtful and caring things you can do to keep your loved one’s memory alive when they have passed away.
Keep an Urn of Their Ashes
If your loved one has chosen to be cremated after death, you can request to keep their ashes just before or during the cremation process. Many people choose to spread their late relative’s ashes somewhere special, but if you want to keep your loved one closer to home.
Consider purchasing small urns for ashes so you can place them on the mantelpiece in your living room or your bedside cabinet in the bedroom. You can get urns of all shapes, sizes, and designs so you can find the perfect one to reflect your late relative’s personality and preferences.
Create a Scrapbook of Photos
If you’ve got lots of photos from various memories you’ve shared with your loved one, consider bringing them all together in a scrapbook. Creating a scrapbook is a fun and creative activity that the whole family can help with.
As you build your special scrapbook, you can reminisce on funny memories and find photos you’d forgotten about. You can also add random memorabilia to your scrapbook alongside photographs, such as old concert tickets or hand-written Christmas cards.
Produce a Video of Your Favorite Memories
For those of you who are handy with a camera, you may have hundreds of videos of your loved one at various social events or family gatherings. Go through your old videos and choose a select few to create a collection of your favorite memories.
You can present your newly made video to the rest of your family members so you can share happy memories together and keep your late relative’s memory alive. Although arching old videos can be emotionally difficult, it’s a great way to support the grieving process and keep the happiest moments that you shared with your relative alive.
Keep Your Relative’s Traditions Alive
If your late relative had particular traditions that they observed each month or year, such as a cultural celebration, consider keeping their traditions going. This is a great way to observe the things that were important to your loved one and live and breathe everything they stood for during their lifetime.
You could cook your loved one’s favorite meal or follow a particular recipe that they loved and host a family dinner to enjoy your relative’s delicious creations. Alternatively, you can celebrate on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day if you’ve recently lost a parent.