Decor can play an impactful role in personalizing a celebration of life to the interests, hobbies, and memory of the loved one being honored. A memorial table can serve as a representation of the individual you are remembering through the display of items that made them unique. In this blog, we hope to provide some inspiration for choosing meaningful objects to create a one-of-a-kind memorial table.
Sharing their Uniqueness
A loved one’s interests, style, and profession can all contribute to their uniqueness as an individual. Choosing objects to adorn their memorial table can be a beautiful way to represent the things that made them special.
Expressing their Interests
A devout sports fan, a movie fanatic, a big bookworm, or a person of faith. No matter their interests, a memorial table can be a meaningful way to express these interests. Whether you choose to include their favorite sports jersey, copies of their favorite films, a stack of their best reads, or a cherished religious symbol, these objects can be a great touch of personalization.
A Symbol of their Signature Fashion
Was your loved one known for a certain staple from their closet? Items like an iconic cowboy hat, the sunglasses they would never leave the house without, a signature baseball cap, or even a favorite t-shirt may add a special touch to a memorial table. You may also consider including pieces that might be more sentimental or meaningful, such as a wedding veil or a military uniform.
Profession-Based Pieces
If your loved one’s profession was one of their passions in life, you may choose to place items that are representative of their line of work on their memorial table. For example, if your loved one was an educator, you may choose to include pictures of them and their students, an apple, or even an old lesson plan book. Maybe their favorite job was a side gig as a coach. A whistle, whiteboard, or playbook can be a great way to represent their love for leading. If your loved one spent most of their professional life devoted to one company, you may also display an item with said organization’s logo.
Honoring their Hobbies
To begin assembling your table, you may think about the activities that your loved one enjoyed during their life.
Arts & Crafts
If they enjoyed art or other creative hobbies, you may choose to include some of their materials or pieces of work. For example, if they were an avid photographer, you can display their camera or perhaps some of their favorite photos that they captured. Similarly, if your loved one enjoyed painting or knitting, you may place paintbrushes, knitting needles, or completed canvases or quilts on their memorial table. You might also show a loved one’s love of music through the display of a musical instrument, a record player, or a favorite album or playbill. Finally, if your loved one was known as the chef of the family, you may decide to include their apron or signature kitchen tool on their memorial table display.
The Great Outdoors & Indoors
Whether your loved one enjoyed getting out and exploring, or finding entertainment inside, there are meaningful elements you may include on their memorial table. Perhaps your loved one’s favorite summer activity was fishing. A glass jar filled with colorful tackle may make a beautiful centerpiece on a memorial table. Maybe they were a world traveler. A canvas map with pins representing their travels over the years can be a beautiful representation of their adventurous spirit.
On the other hand, if your loved one preferred the comfort of the indoors and filled their time playing games or completing puzzles, you may choose to include a favorite board game, a deck of cards, or puzzle pieces on the memorial table.
Final Touches on a Meaningful Memorial Table
It is common for a memorial table to include touches such as flowers, candles, and photographs. At Lighten, we believe these traditional elements may also be personalized to your loved one. You may select condolence flowers in a type or color with special meaning to your loved one. You may also personalize candle holders with your loved one’s name or a meaningful quote. Finally, you can complete your table with your favorite photos of your loved one or add unique photo collections such as school yearbooks or scrapbooks.
For help in personalizing the decor, structure, and elements of a celebration of life, Lighten can help. We believe that your loved one’s celebration of life can be reflective of the unique life they lived. If you are looking for guidance during this process, please feel welcome to reach out to our team.
