10 Celebration of Life Ideas That Bring Joy & Comfort

Losing a loved one is a difficult time in life. There is the pain of loss and so many uncertainties. Something that resonates the most with people is dealing with the grief of no longer spending time with that person. It can be tough to face the reality of missing your loved one. Some ways help channel that grief into something beautiful and healing. One answer that allows people to process their loss is through a celebration of life service.

What is a Celebration of Life?

A celebration of life is an event held to honor and remember the life of someone who has passed. Depending on the needs and wishes of the family members, a celebration of life service can be held in addition to a traditional burial or cremation.

The setting is typically less formal than a funeral service, with a more positive atmosphere. Friends and family celebrate their loved one's life and share memories. The goal of a celebration of life is to create a meaningful event to honor your loved one's memory and give space for grieving family and friends to share in the joy that their loved one's life brought them.

Are Celebration of Life Services Right for Your Family?

As celebration of life services aren't a traditional funeral service, you may ask yourself if they are right for your family. There are some benefits to celebrating life service to consider when deciding.

1. Firstly, you can set the location and tone for their celebration of life. They can be held at any venue, like a church or even a location significant to your loved one. Pick a place important to your family and helps create the atmosphere you want for the celebration.
2. A second benefit of celebration of life services is the ability to choose meaningful activities for the event. These can range from sharing pictures and memories to holding music or other performances in their honor.
3. Third is the flexibility of time. When someone first passes, there is a rush to sort out the necessary details. However, when it comes to celebrating life, you can take time to ensure that everything goes how you want. Some life celebrations are even held after the burial or cremation services.
4. As a final note, one of the biggest benefits of a celebration of life service is holding a space that reflects the personality and passions of the deceased. This honors their life and gives a place for family to grieve and comfort one another. These services are good for dealing with grief and finding a path to acceptance.

Of course, with all the freedom of this personalized funeral service, you may face analysis paralysis. Here are 10 ideas to help you create your celebration of life plans in Utah.

10 Celebration of Life Ideas to Bring Joy and Comfort

1. Make a memory table or wall: Create a photo wall or showcase keepsakes and mementos that help tell the story of your loved one's life.
2. Serve Favorite Food and Recipes: At the function, you can consider serving your loved one's favorite food and even some of their favorite family recipes.
3. Create a Memorial Garden: Plant a living tribute to your loved one with flowers and trees. To make it more significant, you can use their favorite plants.
4. Release Balloons, Butterflies, or Lanterns: By releasing these things into the air, they can symbolize letting go while honoring their spirit. Just ensure to follow safety guides and laws.
5. Share Memories & Stories: Consider setting up an open mic time at the celebration for guests to share personal stories and memories.
6. Make a Video Tribute: Showcase moments of their life through video, photo, and music in a slideshow or short film. You can even record and display videos of close friends and family sharing memories.
7. Make a Donation in Their Honor: You can encourage guests to make donations to a cause or organization, especially if it is significant to the life of your loved one.
8. Create Personalized Keepsakes for Guests: It's also a good idea to help people after the celebration of life. You can make small tokens such as bookmarks, candles, or other memorabilia to comfort people even after the event.
9. Use Their Favorite Music: You can play their favorite songs at the event or even put on a performance of a significant piece of music.
10. Engage in Activities They Loved: Organized the event around a theme or activity. For example, if they like the outdoors, plan a hike to Ensign Peak or spend time on the Great Salt Lake.

Planning Tips for a Celebration of Life

Ultimately, whatever you choose to do to celebrate the life of your loved one is up to you. We want to share a few tips to help you plan a celebration of life.

Anything you plan should be in accordance with your loved one's personality and wishes. Try to involve family members and friends as much as possible in the planning. Don't let the planning overwhelm you; it does not need to be perfect. A celebration of life aims to create a warm, inviting atmosphere of healing and joy.

Closing Thoughts

In summary, a celebration of life is up to you; it is up to you how you want to remember and honor your loved one. We hope these ideas helped you develop your plans for a celebration of life. If you need help planning and organizing a celebration of life or want to plan one ahead of time, SereniCare is here to help you with anything you need.