Ideas for Memorable Celebration of Life Services
If you’ve decided that a celebration of life is the best way to honor and say goodbye to a special loved one, the next step is to plan the ceremony. There is no right or wrong way to do this, especially if you follow your heart. If you are looking for a celebration of life ideas or need inspiration, funeral homes in Mooreland, IN have come up with a few special and touching ways you can plan to honor a life that has been lost.
Here are a few suggestions.
Celebrate With Music
Music has a unique ability to capture our hearts during difficult times. Your loved one does not have to have been a musician for you to place a premium on the music you play during their memorial service. One lovely idea is to ask each guest to bring a song that is meaningful to their relationship with the deceased. Create a playlist based on all of the contributions to play at the service. Take the concept a step further by asking each person to explain why they chose the song they did.
Share Special Memories
Gatherings of any size, small or large, can be made more meaningful by sharing stories about a lost loved one. This can elicit a wide range of emotions, from laughter to tears, and promises to provide healing and closure.
Presenting memory slideshows set to music, leaving out scrapbooks and photo albums, and asking guests to write down a quick memory to be read aloud and shared with everyone are all great ways to spark conversation and get guests laughing and sharing stories.
Organize a Paddle-Out Ceremony
Paddle-out ceremonies can be spiritual and beautiful, especially if you’re honoring someone who was a surfer or loved the ocean or beach. Guests paddle out on surfboards, usually carrying flowers or leis, to form a human circle for this floating memorial service. You could even scatter some or all of your loved one’s ashes into the water during the ceremony if he or she was cremated.
Create a Life Celebration Garden
Your loved one didn’t have to be a gardener for this sweet idea to be something no one will soon forget. The notion that life is circular, and that new growth and new life will continue to spring even after we are gone, is a sentimental and symbolic way to honor your loved one. Invite guests to bring their favorite seed or small seedling to the service. Once everyone has gathered, incorporate everyone’s contributions into what will be a beautiful garden commemorating a life well-lived. You can even request that each guest share a special memory as they plant their seeds, small flower, or plant.
Make Plans for a Balloon or Lantern Release
Lantern releases have grown in popularity in recent years, particularly in Western culture. Allowing a paper lantern to float away with your loved one’s thoughts and prayers at the center of the release is truly magical. While balloons can have a similar effect, releasing them as a memorial raises environmental concerns. Lanterns, on the other hand, are typically environmentally friendly. A release is a lovely and memorable way to give guests a sense of closure and peace as the celebration concludes.
Planning a celebration of life service may appear to be a daunting task. However, many people discover that, while it can be extremely difficult, it can also be a cathartic, healing way to let go and begin a new chapter of life, one without their loved one. We all need to say our final goodbyes, and a celebration of life may be the ideal way to honor someone in your life who has passed but is not forgotten. And remember, it is perfectly acceptable to seek assistance. The funeral homes in Mooreland, IN understand how difficult it is to say goodbye, so we’ve made it a priority to provide assistance and support at all stages of end-of-life and legacy planning. Contact us right away. Get more about our services or have any questions by call or come in to see us.
