Our Monthly Tip: Create a Personal Memory Book Together as a Family

Credit:
communityconnection.wordpress.com

Our Tip of the Month

Creating a memory book in honor of someone who has died has a few benefits. First,  creating a memory book can be a very therapeutic experience; second, a memory book can help you keep the memory of your loved one alive with a physical object; and third, it makes a great activity for a celebration of life or memorial service.

Whether you’re making one with your family, by yourself, or with acquaintances or strangers, creating a memory book can help you grieve and heal while inspiring happy memories and shared stories. It’s a way to bond with those we love and honor the person who has died.

Credit:
communityconnection.wordpress.com

How-To Suggestions

You’ll want to gather supplies and have a space set aside where you have room to sort through different items. Supplies can include photos of the person who died, stickers of all kinds, colorful paper collections, patterns, stencils, markers, pencils, two-sided tape, scissors, and at least one album or notebook to create the memory book. For photos, ask family and friends to share some digitally that you can download and have printed.

If a group is working on a single memory book together, it might be helpful to decide on a theme or structure before you begin. You may decide to create a memory book that honors major milestones in your loved one’s life or hobbies that they loved. Or maybe it will be a chronological re-telling of their life, with one year per page. With a plan in place, people can more easily work on different pages and still have something that comes together.

Likewise, try to keep the energy warm and inviting — after all, this is a collaborative project sharing in grief and celebration of someone you all loved. Freedom of expression should be encouraged.