Monthly Archives: March 2021

Create Meaningful Ceremony – Memorials

 in Ceremony / Memorial services / Personalization  tagged meaningful ceremony / memorial service / personal ceremony by

Create meaningful ceremony to celebrate the important moments in life. In previous weeks I’ve written about creating personal weddings and welcoming a new child to your family. Now it’s time to discuss how to honor a loved one with a poignant memorial service.

Holding a memorial service serves four purposes:

  1. To honor and celebrate the life of the person who has died.
  2. To make space for everyone to say a private good-bye.
  3. To offer and receive support as a community of people who knew the honoree.
  4. To set your feet on a path of grieving leading to healing.
Memorial urn for a Dutch woman – surrounded by tulips

Here are some elements to consider as you work to create meaningful ceremony for a memorial service.

  • Use music to open and close the ceremony. Select pieces that connect to the honoree. Perhaps they were a country music fan, or loved patriotic marches. Classical music can always be used, too, and can be soothing.
  • Bring the honoree into the ceremony through mementos and their life story. Including a favorite team’s jersey or a quilt they made is a great visual. And make sure to share their life story through a biographical sketch.
  • Make space for shared stories. You might opt for “open mic” where guests can spontaneously share some of their interactions. Alternately, you can invite two or three people to share a slightly longer eulogy where they share highlights of the honorees life. For example, a professional colleague may speak about their work life, and an adult grandchild may share stories of time with grandma or grandpa.
  • Since guests may be of varying religious inclinations, it’s respectful to offer a time for silent reflection or prayer. You can use music or perhaps a video picture montage to accompany this time.
  • Finally, you want to draw people together and give them hope for brighter days ahead when their sorrow is not as profound as it is right now.

When you create meaningful ceremony by weaving these elements together you’ll both celebrate and honor the person who has passed. You’ll also support the family and friends in a memorable and appreciated manner.

Next time I’ll be talking about how to create meaningful ceremony around other milestone moments in life. Make sure to check it out in two weeks.

Create Meaningful Ceremony – Welcoming Ceremonies

 in Ceremony / Welcoming Ceremony  tagged child naming / child welcoming / meaningful ceremony / naming ceremony by

Create meaningful ceremony to celebrate the important moments in life. Share your love with a personal wedding as discussed in my last blog post. Welcome a new child to your family with a sweet naming or welcoming ceremony. Honor a loved one with a poignant memorial service. Mark a new phase of life with an inspirational celebration. This week’s focus is on how to create a sweet welcoming or naming ceremony to celebrate a new addition to the family.

Naming or welcoming ceremonies are appreciated by families who are not religious, but want to celebrate the amazing experience of adding to their family. If the child is truly a newborn when the ceremony is held, a Naming Ceremony makes sense. If the child is 6 months or older, a more general Welcoming Ceremony may be more appropriate.

Family puzzle for Child Welcoming ceremony.

In either case, here are a few guidelines to remember:

  • If an infant or small child is the honoree, keep it short and sweet as attention spans are short. You might even want to keep it very informal – gather in a circle and let the little one wander inside while the ceremony happens.
  • Plan the ceremony around the child’s schedule. You don’t want a cranky child in need of a nap when everyone is gathering.
  • Include a ritual or activity that results in some kind of keepsake that can be shared with the child as they grow up and you can tell them about the ceremony.
  • It’s fun and appropriate to recognize parents, grandparents and others you expect to have an ongoing and influential role in the child’s life.
  • Keep the attendance list to family or very close friends. A child welcoming ceremony is often held at home, so keeping the guest list small helps.

With a Welcoming Ceremony you create meaningful ceremony for the parents and family now, and for the child later on when it can be shared with them. It is cause to gather, to celebrate, and to share food as you welcome the newest addition to the family.

Next time I’ll tackle the important memorial service. How to create meaningful ceremony to honor, celebrate and grieve the loss of a loved one.