1. A memorial candle. A candle with their name to light when you miss them, and let rest when you need to. See our personalized memorial candles.
2. A memory box. Letters, photos, ticket stubs, a favorite scarf. Keep it somewhere you can open it on the days you want to.
3. A remembrance corner. A shelf with their photo, a candle and one thing they loved: their reading glasses, a mug, a small plant.
4. A yearly ritual. On their birthday or anniversary, cook their favorite meal, visit a place they loved, or watch the film they always quoted.
5. A family recipe book. Gather their recipes, in their handwriting if you have it, and make copies for everyone.
6. Plant a tree or a garden. Something that grows and changes each year, and gives you a reason to visit.
7. A memory jar. Ask family and friends to write one memory each on a slip of paper. Read them on the hard days.
8. A photo book. Choose the photos that sound like them, not just the formal ones.
9. Frame their handwriting. A birthday card, a shopping list, a note on the fridge. Handwriting is one of the most personal things we leave behind.
10. Save their voice. Gather voicemails and videos in one safe place before phones get replaced.
11. A grief journal. Write to them. Many people find it easier than talking. Our grief journal can carry the same words as their candle.
12. Wear something of theirs. A watch, a ring, a sweater. Something you can touch during the day.
13. Give in their name. A donation, a volunteer day, or a small scholarship to a cause they cared about.
14. Include them in milestones. A memory candle at a wedding, a photo at graduation, an empty chair at the holidays. See our wedding memory candles.
15. Light a candle together. On the hard days, light it, share one memory, and sit with it for a while. When you need to, let it rest.

At the service, a few small keepsakes can help guests feel part of the remembering: a candle by the guest book, memory cards for people to write on, and a printed photo to take home. Families sometimes order the same candle for close relatives, or a case of 12 as funeral keepsakes for guests. See our candles for a funeral service.