When a loved one has passed, we've the responsibility to keep them in our memories. Here are compassionate ways to remember a loved one who has died.

It's a day you'll never forget. Maybe you were there when it happened. Or you received the call that changed your life forever.

Wherever you were when your loved one died, you'll always remember. Unfortunately planning a funeral or Memorial, handling the bills and insurance, and separating belongings can make anyone feel low.

But as the haze begins to wear off and you start to heal, preserving their memory becomes important.

Depending on the circumstances finding ways to remember a loved one who has died can be difficult.

But fear not. Help is here.

What Are Some Ways to Remember a Loved One Who Has Died?

When someone we love dies, it's a terrible shock. We no longer see them or speak with them. Even if the urge to pick up the phone arises, you can't communicate with them.

Learning to live your life without a dear friend or close relative takes practice.

You'll experience good days and sad days. Thinking of ways to remember a loved one might help the healing process.

While there's no substitution to time passing or grief counseling, focusing on positive memories can lighten the mood.

Below are 5 ways to show your dearly departed how much you still care.

1. Save Accessories to Wear

As a child did you enjoy going through your mother's or father's closet? 

Playing dress-up is a fun way to learn about fashion. It's also a great way to get closer to your parents. If mom and dad weren't busy they might have joined you in an awesome session of make-believe. Or you and your siblings or cousins lost track of time trying on different items. Either way, those playdates created heartwarming moments.

When a loved one passes away, we're left with memories and mementos. To help preserve your childhood, choose your favorite accessory to wear. Although your sibling may want the same keepsake calmly discuss who takes it.

Putting on a beloved scarf, hat, or gloves from a loved one is a great way to remember them and stay en vogue.

2. Throw a Celebration of Life

Sometimes throwing a gathering is the best thing to do after the loss of someone. No, you don't need to plan the event a month or two after the loss. Give it a year or two to see how you're healing.

Many people we lose are full of life and wanted to enjoy every minute of it. What better way to show you appreciated them, then by throwing a celebration of life party?

A celebration of life honors the memory of a loved one by acknowledging how they lived. When celebrating someone's life invite their closest friends and family, serve their favorite dishes, and play the music they loved.

It's up to you when to schedule the celebration. It can happen on their birthday or the anniversary of their death. The important thing is to ensure everyone has a good time.

3. Create a Piece of Jewelry 

Did you know there are new and innovative ways to carry your loved one with you forever? If someone you love gets cremated, their ashes can be used to create cremation diamonds or a piece of jewelry. This is a beautiful and everlasting way to honor and cherish their memory, as you are literally carrying a piece of them with you. It is a legacy that you can pass down through generations to come.

Yes, the process to use someone's ashes for a diamond or necklace is simple. Most companies allow you to mail in the ashes and complete orders online. 

However, the cost of turning ashes into a diamond depends on the color and carat. The price for a cremation diamond starts around $700 and goes up to $15,000 or more. 

If those prices are out of your range then a cremation pendant with a compartment for the ashes is the better option. The prices vary but online stores such as Perfect Memorials and Things Remembered offer an affordable selection. They even carry themed cremation jewelry like Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon pendants.

4. Buy a Themed Urn

Picking out an urn is a necessary activity when a loved one gets cremated. Sure, you might want to choose the first one you see and keep moving. But urns aren't what they use to be.

Today there are plenty of diverse urns to suit anyone's needs.

You may select the urn by your loved one's favorite color. For the sports fan try golfer urns or car urns to help remember dear ole dad.

Whichever urn you buy be sure it's authentic to the person's memory. 

5. Plant a Tree

We've all heard of the tree of life. Today it's seen on earrings, necklaces, and t-shirts. But now the tree of life has another use.

Planting a tree to remember a loved one is a popular gesture. Trees show the progression of life as it transitions through the four seasons.

As the flowers of a tree grow in Spring this mimics the beginning of life. It will mature through Summer and produce fruit for the Autumn harvest. Then it withers away in Winter. Thus completing the circle of life.

While we know our loved ones won't return the presence of the tree reminds us that life continues even after a loss.

Express Your Love

As you see there are many ways to remember a loved one who has died. But it's important to know there's no rush to do these things. Everyone handles grief in their own way, so don't pressure yourself to 'move on.' 

You never fully heal from a loss, but you do learn to live without them.

Check out our website for more tips on honoring your dad.