A wonderful way to include guests on the day is to give them something special to take home with them. You may prefer to create something new, or instead choose to give away some treasured items of your beloved. Deciding on what to choose will depend on your loved one’s personality and what was important to them.
Newer items can include printed materials with your special person’s name and dates but can also extend further to incorporate elements of their personality and interests as well. For example, if they especially enjoyed books, art or poetry, you could create some printed bookmarks or cards with copies of their favourite art pieces, quotes or poems. If they loved to cook or bake, you could include a recipe for one of their signature dishes, and if they were musical, you can even include a QR code to take guests straight to their own music or that of artists they admired.
There are many ways to personalise printed gifts. They don’t even have to be printed on paper. You may want to consider wearable items such as scarves or hats in their favourite sports team’s colours, printed with their name; badges or buttons in the shape of their favourite animal, musical instrument or food; or simply a t-shirt with their smiling face or of them striking a funny pose. Something that will instantly make the wearer think of them with fondness.
Alternatively, a more intimate way for guests to truly connect with your loved one and to take a personal memory with them, is to give away pieces of their own collection of special items. Perhaps they were known for their colourful fashion choices or brightly coloured hats. A wonderful example of this was a lady who was known for her collection of scarves. She knew she was dying and wanted everyone to be given one of these scarves, so that they could all ‘feel like they were getting a hug’ from her each time they wore it.
If your loved one was not known for their style, they may have an incredible music collection that they would love to share. Leaving with a record that will instantly bring to mind the person who passes each time it is played is a gift unlike any other.
Similarly a book collection, jewellery collection or any other collective of creative or meaningful pieces accrued by the owner would work, including any hobbies or memorabilia from earlier in their life.
The key here is for guests to feel like they are taking a piece of this special person home with them, and will think of them each time they see, hear, or touch this item again. Get creative and/or sit down with family members and friends to gather their thoughts on this subject as well. You may even wish to delegate this task to someone else if it becomes to overwhelming.
To get you started, here are some unique memorial gift ideas:
- recipe cards with your loved one’s favourite recipes for guests to bake at home
- a packet of seeds of their favourite plant to be planted in their honour
- your loved one’s personal book collection
- your loved one’s music collection
- cards or bookmarks printed with favourite sayings/funny moments of your beloved
- mugs or coolers printed with their favourite song lyrics or poem
- your loved one’s favourite snacks or drinks
- personalised candle to be lit in memory
- personalised Christmas decoration to be hung each year in their honour
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