Make Memorial Candles That Celebrate The Good Times A Part Of Funeral Plans

Grief is a complex and sometimes overwhelming experience, and the days around the funeral are typically the start of a period of mourning over your lost loved one. However, it doesn't all have to be doom and gloom in the aftermath of a death. It's okay to celebrate a life well lived, even while making funeral plans. One way that you can celebrate your loved one's life is by creating memorial candles that celebrate many of the best moments of the deceased person's life.

Choose the Candles

You may opt to choose a variety of memorial candles to have on display at the funeral. Some people prefer a collection of tall, thin, and white candles that are on display without any fuss. Others prefer to customize each candle or candle holder to pay tribute to the lost loved one.

For some of the memorial candles, you may opt to have photo images of the person printed on glass candle holders. Other memorial candles may display quotes from the person who passed away. If you want to keep it simple, you may choose a variety of words that represent the person and display different words on each candle. Decide which option works best for your loved one's funeral.

Set Up the Display

Setting up the display of candles at the funeral can be tricky. You should definitely talk to the funeral director before making definite plans to include candles, as some funeral parlors may have restrictions on the use of candles. However, since it's not unusual to include candles in some part of a memorial service, the funeral director should be able to offer advice on how you can safely display and include the candles in your loved one's funeral.

Plan a Candle-Lighting Part of the Service

If you are having memorial candles as part of the funeral, be sure to designate a certain time for the lighting of these candles. Doing so can provide comfort to mourners. Start by having someone explain why the memorial candles were chosen and how they are honoring the memory of your loved one. Then invite people up one by one to light one of the candles, with the option to also share a brief story about the loved one before returning to their seat.

Finally, keep in mind that the physical act of lighting a candle can provide a great deal of comfort for mourners at a funeral. Be sure to have plenty of memorial candles on hand so that each person who attends can light one. At the end of the service, you may offer everybody the chance to take a candle with them, too. They may want the keepsake of their loved one, and it can be a tangible way of remembering the person and the memorial service that honored the lost loved one's life. 

For addition ideas and help with funeral plans, contact a funeral home like FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home.