Memorial Keepsakes

 Memorial Keepsakes, reminders of a person, place, or time, gain meaning through their associations. Funeral keepsakes, reminders of a loved one who has passed on, are infused with meaning through their association with the memories of a lifetime.

Although you might not think of a funeral as an occasion for sharing keepsakes, it is a perfect opportunity to create mementos that bear the stamp of a unique individual. Just as you might save a flower from your wedding bouquet or your child’s first drawing, simply because of their poignancy, you might also choose to have keepsakes created and distributed during a funeral or memorial service.

The keepsakes can then be put on display in a home or tucked away to pass down through the generations. These special items remind you, and everyone, of one special person who is no longer with you.

Many items are suitable for keepsakes to personalize and share. Candles, with their soft glow and quiet, flickering flames, can add warmth to a funeral service. Afterward, they can be displayed and used as memorial keepsakes.Paper or card-stock inserts, printed with meaningful text and photos, are slipped into the panels. When the candles are lit, the inserts are beautifully backlit, highlighting the pictures and text.

If you have a practical nature, you might decide to personalize small items that the bereaved will use regularly. Bookmarks and prayer cards all lend themselves to personalization. Remembrance ornaments are an especially effective way to remind everyone of your loved one during the holidays.

Additionally, funeral programs, featuring a photo, along with text, prose, poetry, or special prayers, can serve as keepsakes in themselves, or place them in small frames to create a more lasting tribute.

If you choose, coordinate your funeral keepsakes with other funeral stationery such as the funeral register book, memorial folders, and thank-you cards. Use the same theme elements and photos on the keepsakes, and choose to imprint everything with a signature phrase that characterizes your loved one best.

Conversely, your keepsakes might be completely different from your other stationery items, designed expressly as stand-alone gifts for everyone to cherish. You might choose to distribute them after the funeral service, for example, and let them illustrate your loved one’s sense of humor or whimsy, as a fitting way to say a final goodbye.

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