5 thoughtful ideas to commemorate your loved one’s death anniversary

The anniversary of a death is usually a day of grief for those who were an important part to the deceased’s life. But despite the sadness that a death anniversary can bring, it’s also an opportunity to reminisce and reflect on the memories you cherish so dearly.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are 5 ways to commemorate a loved one on the anniversary of their death.

1. Revisit their favourite place

When your loved one’s death anniversary arrives, you may find comfort in revisiting their favourite place, or a special place you used to visit together. This could be a location you spent a lot of time together, or simply shared some moments that you particularly remember. Perhaps there was a favourite holiday spot you could revisit with family? Or their favourite beach, café, or restaurant?

Visiting a physical place that has meaning to the both of you can be a great way to relive those precious moments you shared together. So, think about all those special times, soak up the atmosphere and commemorate your loved one’s death in a peaceful way.

2. Gather friends and family for a memorial

When grieving, times can get tough, so it’s important to surround yourself with people you love. Gathering friends and family is a great way to ensure you (and others) don’t spend a loved one’s death anniversary alone.

The gathering could just be a relaxed catch-up with close family, or a more elaborate and planned memorial service with 50 guests.

Ultimately, you should do whatever feels right, even if that means a family game of rounders on a local field.

But the most important to remember - just like a memorial at the time of a passing, an anniversary should celebrate the deceased’s life in the way they lived it, the way they would have wanted.

3. Share a tribute post on social media

The use of social media platforms grows every year, with Facebook being the most popular. By sharing a post to Facebook for friends and family to see, you can commemorate your loved one in a simple way.

You can also ask your friends and family to share their favourite memories on the post, which could include their favourite pictures and stories with the deceased.

The tribute post doesn’t need to be paragraph after paragraph for it to be meaningful. A collage of photos with a memory often speaks for itself and gives you something visual to look back on when it appears in your Facebook memories a year later.

4. Create a photo memory book

Another great way to mark a loved one’s death anniversary is to create a photo memory book. Essentially, a more traditional version of the social media idea above. Ask your friends and family to share/print out their most cherished photos of your loved one, then compile them into a memory book for everyone to enjoy – you could even leave it beside your loved one’s urn permanently.

4. Plant a memorial tree

If your loved one enjoyed the outdoors, having a tree planted in their memory could be a wonderful way to celebrate their life. The tree could be planted in the local park or in the garden of your home and can then be used to gather round as a memorial for every year that passes. This way, you, your friends, and family can watch it grow year by year and make it a place of tradition for celebrating your loved one’s death.

Need further help, advice, or related tips? Then contact our friendly team at Celebration of Life today. We specialise in fuss-free direct cremations and are available 24 hours a day to offer the support you need we times are tough.