When someone you love passes away, you’ll probably want to commemorate their memory. Traditionally, many people use flowers to commemorate the passing of someone they care about. They often send flowers to the family with condolences, or they bring flowers to the service themselves in remembrance of the individual.

Many people sometimes choose to step away from flowers and towards alternative means of remembering the person they cherished.

Whether you’re planning a funeral or attending one, you should explore alternatives to flowers. Flower alternatives can act as a lasting way to celebrate the life of someone who had a big impact on you. By finding the right one, you may be able to find a way to mark their passing in a manner that eases your grief.

Charity Donations

Charity donations act as a warm reflection of someone’s life. When someone spends their life feeling passionate about a particular cause, you can use their passing to make a real impact on the world they’ve left behind.

Take some time to discuss the causes your loved one cared about. In addition to charities, think about whether they had a local building that they loved, a school they adored, or a hospital that provided first-class treatment. Once you land on a charity or cause to donate to, you can include it on the stationary that you use at the funeral.

Tree Planting

When you plant a tree in someone’s memory you always have a way to remember them fondly. You could look at the tree as a living thing that will grow older in their place. Trees also breathe life into the world and they last longer than flowers.

If tree planting doesn’t feel practical, consider smaller plants instead. You may want to consider this approach if the person who passed was an avid gardener or if they felt strongly about protecting the environment. While choosing your plants, consider items that are relevant. For example, rosemary bushes are seen as a remembrance herb.

Photo Gathering

You’re likely to have lots of photos you can use to remember your loved one by. But that doesn’t mean you have all the photos they appear in. From other family members through to close friends, you may be able to contact plenty of people who took photos of your relative over the years.

Requesting that funeral attendees bring photos rather than flowers is a touching way to gather warm memories. You’ll have the chance to see your loved one in a way you’ve never seen them before. When you have a strong collection, you can use them to create a commemorative book that you can glance at from time to time.

Collect Memories

Learning how others remember your loved one can bring a lot of comfort when you’re grieving. As an alternative to flowers, request that those who attend the funeral write a memory in a guest book. Or, you could request that they place the memory into a jar so you can pick them out at random.

Although you have lots of good memories of the person you love, you may not know their entire story. Reading about other people’s memories may spark warm feelings of familiarity. It can also help you experience the positive impact they had on those around them.

Choosing an alternative to flowers can bring comfort and it may help you create a lasting legacy for the person you treasure. Cremations Only specialises in creating loving farewells for special people. We offer both flowers and other alternative options to pay respect to loved ones. To discuss your funeral plans, contact us today.