12 Gifts Ideas To Remember A Loved One
Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy, but finding a way to memorialize them can make the transition to life without them a little easier. If you know someone who is grieving and you are looking for gifts to remember a loved one, we can help.
At Ashes with Art, we create beautiful memorial jewellery and artwork to help individuals feel close to their loved ones long after they have passed. We help individuals to process their grief and move forward with their new life by ensuring they have something to remind them of their loved ones at all times.
If you’re looking for memorial gift ideas that capture the essence of your lost loved one, we can offer a few suggestions. These are just some of the best gifts to remember a loved one, including some homemade and DIY options.
Cremation ring
A cremation ring looks like any other piece of jewellery, except that it contains a very special secret. Inside a hidden compartment, a small amount of ashes are stored and sealed forever. This could be the ideal gift for someone who has recently cremated their loved one. We offer cremation rings in a range of styles to suit all tastes. Choose from a simple and discreet textured band or a stunning diamond ring that will quickly become a treasured family heirloom.
Cremation rings can also be created with a special glass gemstone containing the ashes of a loved one. The glass is melted before the ashes are added. It is then shaped, hardened and polished to a beautiful shine. You can choose a range of colours to suit your style. This type of memorial ring is far superior to resin jewellery. Resin jewellery can break down over time so it is not suitable for storing ashes. Instead, we recommend lasting materials like glass or precious metals such as silver, gold and platinum for your memorial jewellery.
Ashes artwork
Turning ashes into artwork is another beautiful choice. Ashes With Art specialise in glass wall art containing cremation ashes. These pieces are designed and created by our expert glass workers. The flecks of cremation ashes can be seen throughout the finished piece. Our Millennium collection contains cool neutral shades of copper and silver while the Seascape collection contains ocean-inspired hues.
Every piece is unique, offering the perfect decorative memorial gift for the home. Our wall art is available in different sizes to fit all spaces. Each glass artwork contains around one teaspoon of ashes which are visible throughout the piece. It is a stylish and eye-catching piece of artwork that would be welcome in any home.
Memorial garden
Planting a memorial garden for a loved one offers a number of benefits. The act of planning the garden and choosing the flowers and plants that will be more meaningful can actually help a person deal with their grief. And once the garden is completed, friends, family and others will always have a place where they can sit and remember the dearly departed.
Memorial gardens can be large-scale with trees and shrubs, or they could take up a small corner of an existing garden. It’s even possible to create a memorial garden in a plant pot or window box when space is limited. Remember to include a small memorial plaque in your garden to make sure everyone knows who the garden is for. This could be a simple memorial plaque or stone, or it could be the urn that holds the ashes.
Memorial urn
Gifting a decorative and personalised urn to a friend or family member after they have lost a loved one can be very touching. Making these decisions can be very difficult, and individuals will often leave the ashes in the generic urn provided by the crematorium. If you want to help them to get past this stage with ease, offering to have the urn created will be a weight off their shoulders.
Knowing what to do with a loved one’s ashes immediately after a funeral can be very difficult and most people wait a few months or even years before they decide what to do. By giving the gift of a decorative urn, you can give the individual more time to decide what is the right thing for them. This is one of the simplest memorial gift ideas you can give.
T-shirt quilt
If the person who passed away had a large collection of t-shirts, a nice way to create a lasting memorial is to turn these t-shirts into a quilt. T-shirts tell the story of a person’s life, as they may have collected them at school, university, from their employment and through numerous hobbies. Turning t-shirts into fabric squares and then sewing these into a quilt will offer a great deal of comfort to someone who has lost their loved one. It will keep them warm in the winter months, but it is also easy to pack away in a linen closet once they are ready to do so.
This is a great DIY project that could help an individual through their grief. It can be difficult to know what to do with a loved one’s clothing when they pass away. This allows you to hold on to their t-shirts in a meaningful way that avoids throwing them away or donating them. You could also create a quilt with other clothing items like ties or shirts.
Memorial ornament
Christmas and other special occasions can make grieving more difficult. Finding a way to include a lost loved one in the festivities can be challenging, so this gift might be just what you are looking for. A cremation memorial ornament is an ideal gift for anyone grieving as it will allow them to remember their loved one at the most difficult time of the year. Our glass memorial ornaments are lovingly hand-made and completely unique. Choose the colour and the inscription and leave the rest up to us.
Glass is an ideal carrier for cremation ashes as it will not break down over time. When made correctly, glass ornaments are incredibly durable and not prone to breakage. When choosing memorial ornaments, it’s important to stay away from materials like resin as this will break down over time and the ashes may be lost or damaged.
Plant a tree
Sometimes the simplest solution is to plant a tree for your loved one. Trees are symbolic of new life and are often used to memorialise the deceased. Planting a tree will ensure the person’s loved ones will always have a place where they can go to remember them. Make sure you check with the landowner before planting your tree and choose something hardy that is unlikely to fail. The mighty oak is popular for memorials as these trees are known to last for centuries. A quick-growing choice would be a hazel tree or perhaps even a beech tree.
If you are planting a memorial tree, make sure you follow advice from a local gardener or horticulturist to help give the tree the best chance of survival. You may need to stake the tree and give it a little more care and attention in the first year while it gets established.
Dedicate a bench
Another popular choice for a memorial is to pay for a bench to be installed in a special place. Like a memorial tree, this will give those grieving the individual’s loss a place to go and think about them. You could place their memorial bench in a favourite park, on a lookout point or even in their favourite countryside pub. The cost of the bench and the plaque doesn't need to be covered by one person. Let your friends and family know what you are planning and invite donations to help you reach the goal.
Once you have placed the bench and the plaque, you could choose this as the spot to scatter or bury your loved one’s ashes. Friends and family will then know exactly where to go when they want to spend a moment alone remembering and reflecting.
Create a video montage
Most people have phones filled with video footage of their loved ones. Creating a memorial video is an excellent way to keep their memory alive and provide future generations with a window into how their elder relatives lived. Ask friends and family to send any video or photographs they might have and then use free video editing software to piece this together into a short film. You could add their favourite music or poetry as the soundtrack.
Once the video is ready, you could plan a screening to share it with friends and family. This would be the ideal way to get together and remember your loved one after the funeral. You could also provide copies of the film on DVD for anyone who would like to take one home. The only investment with this type of memorial project is your own time.
Adopt an animal
Animal lovers will appreciate this gift for a loved one. Many wildlife organisations give you the option to “adopt” an animal and receive updates. Smaller organisations might make it possible to adopt a specific animal, while larger ones will treat this more as a monetary donation. Either way, you should have a donation gift back you can give as a gift that will be of a great deal of comfort to a person grieving the loss of a loved one.
Adopting an animal can be an excellent gift choice for a young person who is dealing with loss. This can learn more about the animal and even visit a zoo to see other animals like it. Planning a trip to see the animal they have adopted can also help a young person deal with their grief. Even if they never take the trip, just the act of planning for the future can be incredibly productive and healthy as they navigate their grief.
Name a star
If you want to be able to look up at the night sky and remember your loved one, this is a simple choice that can be very effective. Naming a star doesn’t cost much money, but is a highly symbolic gift for those who love stargazing. You could pair this gift with a telescope and instructions to find their star for a touching tribute.
Giving the gift of a new hobby could help an individual process their grief and come to terms with their loss. Spending time looking at the night sky can be incredibly soothing and relaxing, not to mention interesting. Getting wrapped up in a new hobby is ideal for those who are grieving a loss.
A charitable donation of time or money
Sometimes the best way to honour a person’s memory is through a charitable act. This could include donating money to a cause that is important to them. You could also raise money by running a marathon or completing a mountaineering challenge. Or you could donate your time by working for a charity. Charitable donations are always welcomed, but if you don’t have a lot of money to give, volunteering your time can be just as touching and significant.
Your loved one may have relied on a charity for support before their death, so this would be the ideal choice for fundraising or volunteering. If you are struggling with your own grief, putting your mind towards volunteer work can help you to stay busy and focus on other things. And charities will always welcome more support to achieve their goals.
Choosing your memorial gift
These are just some of the many unique memorial gifts available. If you’re looking for cremation jewellery or wall art, we can help you to design the perfect piece that captures the spirit of your loved one. All of our jewellery and artwork is made by hand in our studio and workshop. You are welcome to visit the studio and see how we create unique memorial gifts for loved ones or request your order pack to get the ball rolling on creating your memorial jewellery or artwork.