A Celebration of Life

What is a Celebration of Life?

The loss of a loved one is never easy and today more and more families are looking for unique and personalized ways to celebrate the life of their loved one. A celebration of life service is one alternative to a traditional funeral service. It accomplishes the same main goal as a funeral – gathering family and friends to honor the life of a loved one. With a celebration of life, the goal is to lift everyone’s spirits and focus on celebrating positive memories and experiences that were shared with the deceased. A celebration of life tries to relieve the level of grief and mourning, and attempts to provide a more positive atmosphere where guests celebrate a life well lived. The main advantage of a celebration of life is that it allows you the freedom to do whatever is needed in order to best display your loved one’s personality, values, and passions.
what is a celebration of life
The best way to start planning a celebration of life is doing so while your loved one is still alive. You have the opportunity to ask them, “how do your want to be remembered?”, “what do you value most?”, and “how would you like to be honored at your celebration of life?”. This way you are not left guessing as to what your loved one would've wanted. 

Celebrations of Life vs Funerals

Both funerals and celebrations of life serve as a way for families to acknowledge the death of a loved one and say goodbye. However, there are many differences between the two which often leads a family to choose one over the other.

A funeral service carries a certain level of tradition and order. Typically, it has three main parts: the visitation, the funeral service, and the committal service. For those wanting a sense of spirituality, religion, or tradition, we recommend holding a traditional funeral service rather than a celebration of life.

With a celebration of life, there is more freedom in the planning process. Essentially, this type of service can include whatever your family would like. The purpose of this service is to tell the story of your loved one’s life and celebrate what made them special. In many cases, these types of services are held after the remains have been cared for. This allows your family more time to come together and plan a service that has included input from everyone. It is not uncommon for families to hold a celebration of life weeks or even months after their loved one’s remains have been buried or cremated. This allows you to schedule the event around a time that works best for your family and can allow everyone to be there.

Celebration of Life Ideas

If your family is interested in planning a celebration of life, we have included a few examples below to help get you started.
cards games lover celebration of life

The Games Lover

Did your loved one enjoy to play table games. Whether it was cards, chess, or board games, these types of games allow people to come together. To recognize this aspect of their life, set up games around the venue and encourage guests to spend time playing games with one another and share memories of the deceased.

paint brushes arts and crafts celebration of life ideas

Arts & Crafts Enthusiast

If your loved one was a schoolteacher for young children or just loved to make little crafts, incorporate this into their celebration of life. Set up a crafts table where guests can complete a simple craft and then present it to the family or take it home as a keepsake from the service. 

slice of pie celebration of life

The Foodie

Food is something that brings everyone together. If your loved one had a passion for cooking, prepare some of his/her favorite dishes to be served at the service. Depending on the number of guests attending, encourage them to try and make some of your loved one’s favorite dishes and bring them for everyone to enjoy together.
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