Funeral Memento Gifts
Funeral Memento Gifts
Although it is not a requirement in the funeral planning process, some families like to provide funeral guests with a memento to take home in honor of the deceased. Like a wedding or party favor, this memento serves as a reminder of the day and thanks to people for taking the time to attend.
Most funerals automatically provide a memento in the form of a copy of the funeral program, which may include pictures, passages, and a copy of the obituary. However, if you would like to take things one step further, here are a few ideas for small, low-cost funeral gifts.
- Prayer cards or prayer books
- Color photographs of the deceased (possibly with a passage or quote pasted on the back)
- Flower seeds or potpourri sachets
- Birdseed
- Bookmarks with a photo/favorite passage
- Favorite recipes of the deceased (you can go one step further and provide ingredients in a jar, such as for a soup or cookie recipe)
- Candles
- Symbolic jewelry
- Picture frames with a photo of the deceased
- Bubbles to blow at the burial site
- Ribbons that can be pinned and worn
- Blooms from a spray of funeral flowers
- Tree seedlings
- Centerpieces from the memorial party
- Personalized lip balm
- Sketchbooks/journals
- Memorial shot glasses (these can be used to toast later)
Funeral mementos do not have to be expensive or over the top, and in many cases you can make them yourself. Ordering personalized gifts can take time to ship, so it often makes sense to stick to items you can personalize at home (with handmade cards or printouts), or ones that can be picked up at a local store.
Also be sure and check with the funeral home to determine how best to pass these items out. Because you may not have a chance to personally chat with every attendee, you can place them in a basket by the funeral sign in book, or near the casket when visitors stop by to pay their respects.
You should also check with your funeral director to get a good idea about numbers. Although a funeral director cannot tell you how many people will be attending a funeral (especially if you placed a public notice in the newspaper or online), he or she may be able to make an estimate based on your family size and similar situations in the past.
Funeral memento gifts are not required, but they do provide a personalized touch. Funeral gifts allow you to honor the deceased and all the people who came out to pay their respects, and provide you with a chance to take home something you will always cherish.
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