Funeral services offer family and friends a way to mourn, connect, and celebrate a loved one’s life. After the service is over, however, it may be challenging to know how to handle anniversaries of their passing. These tips can help you honor a loved one’s memory each year and every day.

Ways to Commemorate a Loved One

1. Volunteer

Did your loved one participate in or benefit from a particular charity? Choosing to volunteer on the anniversary of their death is a wonderful way to continue the circle of giving. If you want to do this but don’t have a charity in mind, consider groups that deal with topics close to their heart, such as a humane society, religious charity, or specific arts organization.

2. Create a Memorial

The funeral services may have been too overwhelming to decide on additional memorials, but, now that some time has passed, consider if there are other ways you’d like to memorialize your loved one. For example, plant a tree in their name, commission a bench or plaque in a well-loved park, or have a memorial rose named for them and give it to family. For more privacy, create a memorial in your yard. This can be as simple as planting their favorite flower or making a sculpture with family and friends.

3. Make a Special Meal

Host a dinner or potluck with others and make all your loved one’s favorite dishes. Sharing food is a time-honored way of celebrating the passing of life, and it’s the perfect way to reconnect with people you may not have seen since the funeral service.

4. Visit Special Places

You may already stop by the cemetery, but visit other locations to remember your family member. Take a picnic with relatives and friends to a favorite spot you shared, or even go somewhere your loved one always wanted to visit.

5. Complete a Project

Was your beloved working on a family tree, building a piece of furniture, or making a quilt? Think about finishing this project in their memory. If the project is beyond your abilities, find those in your circle who could help, or even pay someone to finish it expertly.

Celebrate and commemorate the passing of a loved one by planning a special activity. Donald Jordan Memorial Chapel in Dayton, OH, offers compassionate, professional funeral services, cremation, online memorials, and tribute videos to honor and celebrate their life. Call (937) 610-1900 for funeral planning or preplanning and visit the website to learn more about services.