8 touching memorial gift ideas
Are you unsure what to buy as a memorial gift? Explore 8 touching gift ideas, including photos and jewellery.
When a person dies, people often want to buy a gift to show their sympathy. This could be a gift to the family of the person who died or to a place connected to them.
Like many things connected with death, however, it's not always easy to make a decision. People often worry they're going to get it wrong. They might worry that a gift is too obvious, too unusual, too cheap, too expensive, and so on.
At Treasured Moments, we believe there's no right or wrong way to express sympathy. But we also know that people often look for advice at a difficult time. That's why we've put together this list of eight touching memorial gift ideas. We hope it helps.
1. Photos
Do you have a photo or collection of photos of the person who has died? This could be a touching gift for the family or a place connected to the person. You could gift a photograph to a club they were part of, for instance, or the place they received end-of-life care.
There are many ways to present photos. You could have them framed. You could put them in a photo album. You could have them printed on a mug or other object. You could make a slideshow on your phone or computer.
All these options are readily available from high street shops and online stores. It can be a simple but touching way to express sympathy.
2. Gifts for a care home or hospice
If the person died in a care home, hospice or other end-of-life care centre, you might want to give a to the staff. This can help keep their memory alive among staff and other residents. It could also be a gift that makes the place they died a more comfortable place to be.
You could get something that specifically memorialises the person who died, such as a memorial bench or a water feature. If there's a garden, you could buy a garden feature like a tree, a potted plant or some wind chimes.
3. Jewellery
There are many options for memorial jewellery. We explored six of them in our
memorial jewellery gift guide.
A piece of jewellery – be it a bracelet, necklace, pair of cufflinks or dog tag – can be engraved with the name of the person who died. It can also have a compartment for ashes, hair or soil.
If you're unsure what kind of jewellery to buy, you could explore a site like Etsy, go to a craft market or visit a jeweller's shop.
Buying memorial jewellery for the family of the person who died can be tricky. It involves buying something that "fits" both the person who died and the person who will wear it. For this reason, it can be a good idea to get the person who will receive the gift to be involved in the process.
4. Candles
Candles are more than just a nice object to receive. Because of their religious associations, they can be lit as a way of remembering the person who died.
There's a huge array of candles on the market. You might want to find out if the person who died had a favourite scent or if they had a personal connection to a particular scent.
You can also make candles using candle-making kits. This can add a layer of thoughtfulness to your gift.
5. Trees and potted plants
Flowers are a common gift at funerals. But if you want to buy a memorial gift that lasts, trees and potted plants can be a better option.
Unlike flowers, a tree or potted plant can be a lasting reminder of the person they died. The person receiving the gift may take comfort in watching something grow as they remember their loved one.
Some garden centres sell particular memorial trees and shrubs. If you're unsure what to get, these can help you decide. You could also buy a tree or potted plant with a personal connection to the person who has died.
6. Charitable donation
You don't have to give a gift to the person's loved one or the place where they spent the end of their life. You could also give money to a charity, either as a one-off donation or something more regular.
This could be a charity that supports the illness the person died from. It could also be a charity that mattered to the person who died or that they supported in their lifetime.
7. Funeral gifts
So far, we've looked at gifts for after the funeral. But what about the funeral itself?
The first thing to remember is that the funeral will usually be organised by the family and the funeral director. They will often have a clear idea of what kinds of gifts they do and don't want. For instance, some families ask attendees not to bring flowers.
Once you've checked what's expected and appropriate, you could consider buying a condolence guest book or a sympathy gift basket. These are gifts that will last long after the funeral is over.
8. Memorial webpage
At Treasured Moments, we specialise in
memorial web pages that celebrate the life of the person who died. They can include photos, videos, written memories and more.
Each page is bespoke and is built to last. This makes a Treasured Moments memorial page a touching memorial gift for the family of the person who died.
Do you need to send a gift?
It's worth remembering that you don't have to send a gift if you don't want to. If you don't know what to get, you could show your sympathy through a card, e-card or other kind of message. You could also meet up with the person who is grieving and offer help and support.
A Treasured Moments memorial web page is a unique and lasting way to show your support to someone coping with grief. Why not look at our
memorial website examples to see what we can do?
