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Planning a celebration of life is not an easy task. You\u2019re navigating grief along with playing host as you think about what to do with a group of people that want to gather to honor your <\/span>loved one<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n An intentional gathering can help friends and family find peace, even if it\u2019s just for the day. These <\/span>celebration of life ideas<\/span> will help you put together a thoughtful and compassionate event to honor a <\/span>life well-lived<\/span>.<\/span> From memorial objects to menu suggestions to activities, these ideas will help you pay tribute to your special person.<\/span><\/p>\n Design: Shari Margolin Design | Simple Remembrance Invitation<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Provide all of their <\/span>favorite dishes<\/span> for the <\/span>end-of-life<\/span> celebration. Maybe she was Italian, so you serve cannoli, arancini, baked rigatoni, and Italian wines. Maybe he was crazy about dumplings, and you want a few guests to bring different varieties in his honor for a dumpling <\/span>potluck<\/span>. Or perhaps she made iced coffee her whole personality, and you want an iced coffee bar with flavored syrups and her favorite oat milk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Celebrate their <\/span>unique personality<\/span>, even if it doesn\u2019t fit into a <\/span>traditional funeral service<\/span> mold.<\/span><\/p>\n Hire a company that does audio <\/span>guestbooks<\/span>, like <\/span>After the Tone<\/a><\/strong> or <\/span>The Audio Guestbook Co<\/a><\/strong>. They provide a telephone that people can pick up and leave a message on. After the celebration of life, you get a compilation of all the messages, and it\u2019ll be there whenever you need it.<\/span><\/p>\n Put on their <\/span>favorite music<\/span> and have everyone sit and listen through a <\/span>playlist<\/span> of select songs or even a full album. If your <\/span>loved one<\/span> was passionate about a certain artist or genre, this will be a beautiful way to honor them.<\/span><\/p>\n If your person went on the same walk every day or spent a lot of time in a certain neighborhood, take a guided walk together to retrace their steps. Go to their favorite spots and have someone play tour guide to explain what they liked to do there. You can also have the last stop be the <\/span>official funeral service<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Have a blank <\/span>scrapbook<\/span> out on a <\/span>memory table<\/span> at the celebration of life for guests to contribute to. In addition to adding photos and <\/span>memorabilia<\/span>, guests can write memories on pages that have prompts written at the top, like:<\/span><\/p>\n Design: Bonjour Berry | In Our Hearts Invitation<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Indicate on the <\/span>celebration of life invitation<\/a><\/strong> that you\u2019re going to get out and do something together. Whether it\u2019s golfing, karaoke, baking, walking dogs, or bird watching, you\u2019ll feel connected to them as you partake in their favorite activity.<\/span><\/p>\n This <\/span>celebration of life idea<\/span> makes sure the host doesn\u2019t have to stress too much \u2014 have everyone bring your <\/span>loved one\u2019s favorite<\/span> food and drinks. You can have guests sign up for dishes so there aren\u2019t any repeats. You can also do a plain and simple <\/span>potluck<\/span>, where people bring whatever they want.<\/span><\/p>\n One <\/span>celebration of life idea<\/span> that gets everyone doing an activity together is cooking dinner. Make all their favorite foods, <\/span>share memories<\/span> in the kitchen, and then gather around and eat a meal in their honor.<\/span><\/p>\n There are a few options for <\/span>eulogies<\/span> and <\/span>sharing memories<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n A truly <\/span>unique celebration of life idea<\/span> is to have everyone dress like the honoree in some way. Maybe she loved pink so you set a dress code of only pink hues in your <\/span>invitation wording<\/a><\/strong>. Maybe he was never seen without a ballcap, so you ask everyone to wear a hat. Maybe she wore cowboy boots any chance she got, so you ask everyone to dress in Western wear.<\/span><\/p>\n Have a <\/span>guestbook<\/span> so you can remember all the people who came to celebrate your <\/span>family member<\/span> or friend. Choose a <\/span>memento<\/span> specific to your <\/span>loved one\u2019s personality<\/span> as the book, like their favorite novel, a coffee table book related to their passion, or a religious text. People can leave notes in the margins.<\/span><\/p>\n Design: Holly Whitcomb | Pastoral Vista Invitation<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Edit together clips of their life to show at the service, or put a few video clips into a photo <\/span>slideshow<\/span>. Another <\/span>celebration of life idea<\/span> is to have friends and family send in short videos sharing a few words about the honoree. You can edit that into a video you can watch at the gathering.<\/span><\/p>\n If there was a cause they were particularly passionate about, encourage folks to make donations to their favorite nonprofit instead of bringing flowers. This is a beautiful way to honor their memory and impact the lives of others.<\/span><\/p>\n Have everyone bring an item for a time capsule that the family will open on the one-year anniversary of their death. People can put in photos, notes, items that belonged to your <\/span>loved one<\/span>, their favorite soda or candy, or anything else they can think of.<\/span><\/p>\n Live musicians are a beautiful touch to a <\/span>celebration of life event<\/span>. Maybe your <\/span>loved one<\/span> enjoyed mariachi bands, classical music, or Irish folk ballads. Hire musicians to come honor a <\/span>life well-lived<\/span> by playing their <\/span>favorite songs<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Design: Hudson Meet Rose | Framed Loving Memory Invitation<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n If your friend or <\/span>family member<\/span> was a big reader, have a book club gathering to celebrate their memory. Read their favorite book or something that was on their to-be-read list.<\/span><\/p>\n Gather your <\/span>loved ones<\/span> in person<\/span> to watch the deceased\u2019s favorite movies or shows. If she only spoke in \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d quotes, watch a few of her favorite episodes. If he was obsessed with Meg Ryan movies, watch all her best ones together.<\/span><\/p>\n A poignant way to bask in your <\/span>loved one<\/span>\u2019s life is to ask for everyone to bring a letter sharing their <\/span>favorite memories<\/span>. You can open them when you need them, and you may learn things about them you never knew.<\/span><\/p>\n A garden helps keep the <\/span>memory of your loved one<\/span> alive long after they\u2019re gone. Plant flowers, herbs, or vegetables to keep their memory alive in a tangible way. Every time you pick the flowers or harvest the vegetables, you\u2019ll have a sweet reminder of the <\/span>life of your loved one<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Display a cork board or poster board at the <\/span>celebration of life service<\/span>. Ask guests to bring photos, notes, and <\/span>mementos<\/span> that remind them of the deceased. The board will be the centerpiece of the <\/span>memorial service<\/span> and a <\/span>keepsake<\/span> for the family after it ends.<\/span><\/p>\n Design: Holly Whitcomb | Painted Oak Invitation<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n
\n<\/p>\n21 <\/b>Celebration of Life Ideas<\/b> for a Thoughtful Gathering<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. Make Their Favorite Food or Drinks<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Celebration](\"https:\/\/www.greenvelope.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Simple-Remembrance-Invitation-1.jpg\")
2. Compile an Audio Guestbook<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. Listen to Their Favorite Music<\/b><\/h3>\n
4. Take a Guided Walk<\/b><\/h3>\n
5. Create a Scrapbook<\/b><\/h3>\n
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6. Do an Activity They Loved<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Celebration](\"https:\/\/www.greenvelope.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/In-Our-Hearts-Invitation.jpg\")
7. Have a Potluck<\/b><\/h3>\n
8. Cook Together<\/b><\/h3>\n
9. Share Memories<\/b><\/h3>\n
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10. Have Everyone Dress in Their Style<\/b><\/h3>\n
11. Use a Creative Guestbook<\/b><\/h3>\n
12. Play a Video Compilation<\/b><\/h3>\n
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13. Have a Donation Drive<\/b><\/h3>\n
14. Create a Time Capsule<\/b><\/h3>\n
15. Include Live Music<\/b><\/h3>\n
16. Host a Book Club<\/b><\/h3>\n
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17. Have a Movie Marathon<\/b><\/h3>\n
18. Ask for Letters<\/b><\/h3>\n
19. Plant a Memorial Garden<\/b><\/h3>\n
20. Put Up a Memory Board<\/b><\/h3>\n
21. Plant a Memorial Tree<\/b><\/h3>\n
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