How to Find the Best Ways to Memorialize Your Loved One [Free Resource]

If you have recently lost a loved one, chances are you’re looking for ways to remember them.

Memorializing signifies the lasting memory of your loved one and in most cases, serves as a tribute and tradition for generations to come. This is why it’s so important to choose a memorializing tradition—or multiple traditions—that holds the most meaning for your family and your loved one.

As a family and as a business, we understand the challenges of memorializing a loved one, especially while in the midst of grieving their loss. To help you discover new ways to remember your loved one, continue reading below for memorialization resources.

The Purpose of Memorialization

Memorialization is the act of preserving memories, events or people, and allows individuals to remember and honor their loved one. It comes in many forms—ranging from ceremonies to gatherings to physical pieces of remembrance like a memorial or urn.

The following are three reasons why people choose to memorialize their loved ones:

• To say goodbye. We must eventually let go of every loss life throws at us. This shows that a person is moving through the stages of grief rather than getting stuck in a refusal.
• To work through grief. A memorial can provide a sense of reality during a time of loss. This gives those grieving something to use as comfort in the absence of their loved one.
• To bring loved ones together. Families and friends are brought together by paying tribute to those they have lost—oftentimes at a physical location like a memorial or cemetery.

No two individuals grieve the same, and it’s impossible to attach a timeline to the grief process. While grieving can cause periods of sadness, anger, stress or anxiety, memorialization helps to honor a loved one’s life and center your emotions, resulting in a healthy grieving experience.

Make It Personal and Be Creative

When you lose someone you love, it’s likely you’ll want to find a unique, meaningful way to memorialize them. While there are several different ways you can honor the life of a lost loved one, you should strive to make it personal to them to truly celebrate the life they lived.

Here are 10 creative ideas to get you started:

1. Create the ideal memorial for your loved one.
2. Design a quilt made out of your loved one’s clothing.
3. Make a scrapbook.
4. Plant a memory garden.
5. Customize memorial jewelry.
6. Volunteer for your loved one’s favorite cause.
7. Create a remembrance plaque.
8. Get a tattoo in their honor.
9. Design a memorial bench.
10. Put together a playlist of their favorite songs.

Interested in More Memorialization Resources?

In an effort to provide the people of our community all the resources they may need while experiencing a loss, we created a monthly email newsletter: The Turning Stone.

This newsletter is designed to provide you with support and information to not only help you with the memorialization process, but also through the stages of grief.

Here’s what you can expect when you subscribe:

• Helpful and unique ways to continue remembering and honoring a lost loved one.
• Meaning behind common cemetery mementos.
• Powerful grief support resources, including book recommendations and grief journaling prompts.
• Personal stories and random acts of kindness shared by our community.
• Tips from Milano memorial specialists.
• An inside look at seasonal happenings at Milano Monuments.

We understand that memorializing a loved one, in the midst of grieving, can be overwhelming and challenging. So, whether you’re looking for unique ways to memorialize your loved one or are in need of some additional grief support, we encourage you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the resources you’ll need during those times.