How to Plan a Celebration of Life

By Westchester Funeral Home ~ 18 Apr, 2018

Unique Ideas & Personalization

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Losing a loved one is never easy. In the past, a traditional funeral service was often the only choice a family would consider when it comes to honoring a loved one. The problem with this though is that a funeral is often a sombre affair. As guests are overwhelmed with grief, the mood can become emotional as guests focus on saying goodbye. The alternative to this is a celebration of life. Rather than focusing on saying goodbye, guests can come together to celebrate a life well lived.

Unlike a funeral that traditionally includes readings, hymns and other religious elements, a celebration of life is quite different. This type of event is less focused on tradition and more so on personalization. It is an event centered around celebrating the achievements of the deceased, what they valued, and sharing the good memories of your loved one.

Pay Tribute With Personalization

The biggest benefit of a celebration of life is the ability to personalize the service. This means you can take the time to plan an event that really represents your loved one and what they enjoyed in life. Say for instance, they had a love of cooking. The food served at the celebration of life could include some of your loved one’s favorite dishes.

A famous poem by Linda Ellis called “The Dash” really encapsulates what a celebration of life is about. In the poem, the narrator makes note of the dates written on a grave marker. The first date represents the day you were born. The second date represents the day you died. But the dash in the middle represents how you lived.

In the poem, the big message being discussed is how everyone knows the dates listed, but only the people whose lives the deceased touch know what the dash represents. That’s what makes a celebration of life so meaningful. When planned right, you get to show what the dash represents with the elements included in the celebration of life. By personalizing the service to your loved one, you are celebrating all the things that occurred in that dash.

How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

No matter your age, everyone can benefit from beginning to think about how they want to be remembered. At the conclusion of Linda Ellis’ poem, the narrator asks the reader if when their eulogy is read, would they be proud of how they spent their dash.

This thought-provoking question really hits home for people and asks them to think about the accomplishments in their life they are proud of. These are the same kind of questions you should consider when you start thinking about funeral arrangements and end of life wishes. Before you begin to plan a celebration of life, consider asking yourself these questions:

What stories would I want people to share at my service?
What accomplishment am I most proud about?
What’s my favorite things to spend time doing?
What would I want to have included in a celebration of life?
What will people remember most about me?

Celebration Of Life Ideas

There are so many possibilities when it comes to planning a celebration of life. If you would like some inspiration for celebration of life ideas, we’ve compiled some interesting and unique ideas to help get the planning process started.

The Sports Lover

If your loved one was a dedicated sports fan or enjoyed playing a certain sport, consider focusing the event around that love. A great idea for this could be organizing a golf tournament or exhibition softball or basketball game.
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The Games Lover

Did your loved one love 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 sharing memories of the deceased.
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Arts and 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.
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The Charitable Person

Was your loved one a caring and charitable person? If so, you could organize an event around celebrating the life of the deceased while raising money for a cause they were passionate about. The fundraiser could be an elaborate event or a casual party where people leave a donation to be pooled together and donated in the deceased’s name.
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The Foodie

If your loved one was the type of person who loved to make or eat delicious food and appreciated trying new things, organize a dinner party that serves their favorite foods. Family and friends should feel a close connection when they dine on the food that your loved one enjoyed.
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We're Ready To Serve You

If you would like to learn more about celebrations of life, please feel free to contact us. As fifth and sixth generation funeral directors, the staff at Westchester Funeral Home possess the skills, experience and caring attitude to help you plan a loving and memorable service of remembrance.