If you’ve lost a loved one over the past year, or even during previous years, the holiday season can be difficult. Missing a close friend or family member can add a twinge of sadness to the yearly traditions you used to enjoy with them. However, this season also provides an opportunity for you to honor and remember passed loved ones fondly. If you’re interested in creating a celebration of life ritual or a personalized holiday memorial for your friend or family member, here are some ideas.

How to Integrate a Celebration of Life Ritual Into Your Christmas Traditions

1. Prepare Their Favorite Meal for Christmas Dinner

Did your loved one have a favorite meal or dish they prepared every Christmas? Get the recipe and make it for your family this year. Taste and smell are very closely associated with memory, so it can be a very effective way to bring back powerful holiday memories.

2. Plant a Tree in Their Honor

If the weather is nice, plant a tree this season in your loved one’s honor. Through the years, you can continue to visit it during Christmas, and you can decorate it with a few outdoor ornaments.

3. Write Them a Note

You probably have plenty of thoughts you wish you could share with your loved one. Since they’re not with you in person, write them a letter. You can host a ceremony where you tie the note to a helium balloon and release it. If you want to make it even more meaningful, write it on a Christmas card that they would have loved.

4. Have a Candle Lighting Ceremony

Candles are traditionally used in prayer ceremonies. Lighting a special candle can be a powerful way for you to spend some time thinking of them. You can even invite others to bring their own candles and share memories. Though this time of year can be difficult, honoring your loved one with a celebration of life ritual can be incredibly healing.

If you’ve recently lost someone and are looking for a funeral home where you can host a celebration of life, memorial service, or a traditional funeral, the caring professionals at Arndt Funeral Home LLC in Monroe County, NY are here to help. The licensed funeral directors have been serving area families since 1975 and go to great lengths to make sure every individual feels supported. Send a message to the team online or call (585) 225-6350 to learn about their funeral options.