The death anniversary of a loved obviously is a day of grief. It is also a reflection of the people who were an important part of the deceased person’s life. Rather than making pain on a special day, make it an opportunity to reminisce. It’s a chance to think about the fond and funny moments your treasured person brought to your life and thank them for the good times. There is no single way to mark a death anniversary. Today is an opportunity to honour and thank your loved ones for the gift they have given you and to celebrate the life they lived, in whatever way feels right.
1. Revisit a Special Place
You can do many things like revisiting a particular place on your loved one’s death anniversary. This should be the place where you visited together. This could be somewhere you spent a lot of time together or simply shared some special moments. It might be a cafe, beach, hiking track, or perhaps a holiday spot.
2. Have a Picnic or Share a Meal
Hosting a picnic or a sit-down meal at a favourite restaurant can also be a great way to reconnect with family and friends to mark a loved one’s death anniversary. You can choose to have certain food or drinks involved. If your loved one had any favourite menu, include it in your dining. Raising a glass and making a toast can also be a nice way to honour them.
3. Gather Friends and Family
For our assurance, gathering friends and family is another way to ensure you are not alone on a loved one’s death anniversary. Arrange a casual catch-up with a few family members, or a more elaborate memorial service. Having people around you during the day can make the world of difference. No need of arranging any formal ceremonies.
4. Death Anniversary Memorial Service
If you love to arrange a more formal memorial service for your loved one’s death anniversary, think about how you might add some personalisation to the event. The same could be an intimate memorial with immediate family or a larger gathering of all the friends and family who were important in your loved one’s life.
5. Plant a Memorial Tree
If your loved one enjoys the outdoors, or if they loved gardening, If so, why not plan a memorial tree planting ceremony that celebrates their life while creating a living memory? You can then gather around the memorial tree each anniversary as the tree grows over the years.
6. Support a Charity
You can contribute to any charity organization to honour your beloved ones on their death anniversary. Charity support does not always have to be financial. It could be something as simple as volunteering or helping out with a fundraiser. This act would show the legacy of your loved one is passed down and others can appreciate their giving spirit.
7. Create an Album
An easy way to mark a loved one’s death anniversary is to make a photo memory book. You can add the cherished snaps of your loved ones may like to ask family and friends for some much-cherished photos of your loved one and compile it.
8. Visit their Tomb
It’s common for family and friends to visit a deceased person’s tomb with flowers on their death anniversary, to pay respects. It might be a cemetery or memorial park if they were buried.
9. Light a Candle
Sometimes marking a loved one’s death anniversary may not always have to be a large gathering. If you are alone somewhere, you can still observe a meaningful reflection by yourself, in the comfort of your own home. A simple and easy way to mark a loved one’s death anniversary is to light a candle in their memory. You can even make the reflection more of a united memorial by arranging for friends and family to light a candle in their own homes, at the same time as you do. You can think about them, can pray for them and listen to their favourite songs too.
10. Plan a Day of Reflection
Even though it has been a year or several years, your feelings of grief may intensify on your loved one’s death anniversary and the days surrounding the date. You may find it helpful to plan a day to reflect, remember, read, journal, exercise or relax; whatever you feel like doing. You do not always have to do any major activities on this day regardless of what others are doing around you. Even taking a day off work could be useful if you feel like this will help you.