Memorial Keepsake Template

10 Meaningful Memorial Keepsake Ideas to Honor Your Loved One

When we lose someone we love, we often want a special way to remember them. Memorial keepsakes, handed out at services or given to close family and friends, allow us to create a lasting tribute. Here are 10 meaningful memorial keepsake ideas to consider:

1. Memorial cards with a photo, poem, quote or prayer
2. Personalized candles with your loved one's name or photo
3. Tree seedlings or seed packets for a living memorial
4. Engraved river stones with words of remembrance
5. Recipe cards featuring your loved one's favorite dish
6. Bookmarks with a special message or scripture
7. Wildflower seeds in personalized packets
8. Charm or keychain with your loved one's thumbprint or initial
9. Memorial jewelry like a locket or bracelet
10. Photo collage or memory book to share

The key is choosing something meaningful that captures your loved one's personality and passions. Think about their interests, favorite colors, phrases they often used. The possibilities are endless when you add a personal touch.

Personalizing Your Memorial Keepsakes

One of the most important aspects of creating a memorial keepsake is making it personal to your loved one. Here's how to add those special touches:

• Include their photo, especially one that really captures their spirit
• Feature their name, monogram, or signature
• Use their favorite colors, flowers, animals or symbols
• Include a motto, phrase or quote they often said
• Highlight their hobbies, interests and passions
• Choose their favorite scripture or inspirational saying
• Incorporate their handwriting from cards, notes or recipes
• Add personal anecdotes, nicknames or inside jokes

The more you can weave your loved one's personality into the keepsake design, the more treasured it will be. Including these personal elements, however small, makes the keepsake feel like a hug from your loved one.

When my grandmother passed, we chose forget-me-not flowers and her famous molasses cookie recipe for the memorial cards. Those small details brought smiles through tears. Your personal touches will mean the world to those grieving your loved one.

Essential Elements to Include in Memorial Keepsakes

When designing your memorial keepsakes, be sure to include these key pieces of information:

1. Your loved one's full name
2. Their photo, especially one with a warm smile
3. Dates of birth and death
4. A short message, quote, scripture or poem
5. Special symbols like a cross, angel wings or heart

In addition, you may want to include:

• A few words about their character and what made them special
• Appreciation for their role as parent, spouse, sibling or friend
• Mention of their legacy and how they touched people's lives
• Remembrance of their joys, laughter and good times together
• Words of comfort, peace and hope to those grieving

Aim for a blend of key facts and personal touches. The most meaningful keepsakes usually feature a photo, name, dates, and 2-3 other elements at most. Too many words or busy design can take away from the simple power of remembrance.

Simple and Budget-Friendly Memorial Keepsake Options

Creating meaningful memorial keepsakes doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. If you're on a tight budget or short timeline, consider these simple options:

• Printed cards, bookmarks or prayer cards
• Ribbons with your loved one's name or a phrase
• Cut flowers or single roses to distribute
• Wildflower or forget-me-not seed packets
• Small tea light or votive candles
• Individual packs of your loved one's favorite candy
• A special photo in a simple frame
• Small polished stones with an engraved message

The local copy shop, craft store or online memorial sites offer affordable templates and supplies. You can make many of these simple keepsakes yourself with minimal time and expense.

The key is to choose something you can easily source or create in the quantity you need. Aim for keepsakes that are easy to transport and hand out at the memorial. Most of all, pick something that will be a sweet reminder of your loved one, no matter how simple.

Tips for Creating the Perfect Memorial Keepsakes

As you start designing your memorial keepsakes, keep these helpful tips in mind:

1. Choose a theme, color scheme or style to tie everything together
2. Decide how you want people to feel when they see the keepsake - comforted, peaceful, joyful
3. Pick the highest quality photo you can find, and make sure it prints clearly
4. Proofread, proofread, proofread all text and dates!
5. Create a mockup or proof before you print the full quantity
6. Order extra keepsakes in case you need more later
7. Allow time for design, printing and assembly to avoid stress
8. Recruit help from family or friends if you're feeling overwhelmed

Most of all, trust your instincts on what will resonate. You knew your loved one best. Pour your heart into creating keepsakes that reflect their spirit. No matter what you choose, your efforts to honor their memory will shine through and bring comfort.

Keepsake Wording Ideas and Examples

The words you choose for your memorial keepsakes set the tone for remembrance. To get you started, here are some short phrases to consider using:

• In Loving Memory
• Forever in Our Hearts
• Always Remembered, Never Forgotten
• Until We Meet Again
• Celebrating a Beautiful Life

For a quote or verse, these brief examples can bring comfort:

• "What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us." - Helen Keller
• "Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day." - Anonymous
• "I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow." - Jeremiah 31:13
• "Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal." - Thomas Moore

If you have more room, a short poem offers a touching tribute:

We little knew that morning,
God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death, we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you.
You did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.

You can find many poem and verse ideas online to match the tone you want - spiritual, nature-focused, joyful remembrance. Or write a poem from your heart. The key is choosing words that reflect your loved one, bring comfort and honor their life.

Creative Memorial Keepsake Packaging and Presentation

How you package and present your memorial keepsakes can make them even more special. Consider these creative ideas:

• Place cards or bookmarks in a translucent envelope tied with a ribbon
• Tie a small keepsake like a seed packet or charm to a single flower stem
• Present the keepsake with a wrapped cookie or candy that was your loved one's favorite
• Wrap candles or picture frames in tissue paper or a sheer drawstring bag
• Create a pretty display at the memorial to draw attention to the keepsakes
• Include a sign explaining the keepsake's meaning and thanking people for celebrating your loved one's life

For an extra special touch, you could:

• Have a calligrapher handwrite names or messages on the envelopes
• Use a wax seal or custom sticker to close the packaging
• Attach a leaf, feather, seashell or other small momento
• Include a tea bag and an invite to sit quietly and reflect when they get home

Presentation matters because it shows the thought and love you put into the keepsakes. Pretty packaging and a little something extra makes people feel like they're getting a special gift in honor of your loved one.

Where to Find Supplies and Inspiration for Your Memorial Keepsakes

If you're wondering where to find the supplies to make your memorial keepsakes, these resources can help:

• Local craft supply and scrapbook stores
• Online retailers like Paper Source, Oriental Trading, Etsy
• Memorial product websites like Zazzle, My Forever Memories, Next Gen Memorials
• Your local copy or print shop for printed materials
• Florists and garden centers for flowers and plants
• Thrift stores and flea markets for unique vessels and accent pieces

For design and wording ideas, check out:

• Pinterest or Instagram for memorial keepsake examples
• Etsy for handmade memorial items you can use for inspiration
• Google image search for phrases like "memorial bookmark" or "funeral seed packets"
• Greeting card aisles for short poems, quotes and message ideas
• Flower meaning guides to choose blooms with symbolic significance
• Memorial poems & quotes boards on Pinterest

You'll also find that personal mementos and photos are a great source of inspiration. Look through albums, scrapbooks and memory boxes for items that capture your loved one's personality and spark creative ideas.

Wrapping Up - Creating Lasting Memories with Memorial Keepsakes

In the end, memorial keepsakes are all about remembrance. They give us a tangible way to feel connected to our loved one and to find a bit of comfort in our grief.

The process of designing and creating memorial keepsakes can be very therapeutic. It's a labor of love, a quiet space to reflect on your loved one's life and legacy. Making these tributes by hand, infusing them with personal memories, can be its own kind of healing.

For those receiving memorial keepsakes, they are a treasured gift. Keepsakes let us hold on to a little piece of the person we lost. We can tuck them into a wallet, display them on a shelf, or preserve them in a memory box. In the years to come, whenever we see or touch them, we'll be reminded of the person who meant so much. And that is a true honor to their memory.

I hope these memorial keepsake ideas and tips have given you a starting point to create your own meaningful tributes. Let your loved one's unique personality be your guiding light as you design. Trust that whatever you create from the heart will be cherished by all who receive it. May it bring you peace and connection in remembering your special person.