Functional remembrances are an intriguing, relatively new, trend in memorial products. People who have lost a loved one may be surprised to learn that such an amazing array of products with practical uses are available from memorial product retailers of all types (but mostly online). These pieces help a family keep a loved one’s memory alive for the ages in surprising ways that are both creative and emotionally helpful. The pain of grief over the loss of a beloved family member can last longer than a family might expect, and it can burst forth into forms that manifest themselves in entirely unexpected ways as well. Functional remembrances are intended to help grieving souls to cope in a healthy way with the overwhelming emotions brought about by grief. This brief look at just some of the functional remembrances available on today’s memorial products retail market will be of equal help, we hope. To inquire about any of these types of products – many of which are so surprising and unique that they have been featured on major news media outlets many times in recent years – those who have recently lost a loved one should simply consult with a retailer that specializes in memorial products. While many of these functional remembrances can also be purchased at traditional retail outlets and then customized to suit the legacy and personality of the deceased, a memorial products specialty retailer is most likely to be able to offer the largest selection and best customization options for these products.
Paper Weights
Like many of the functional remembrances we discuss in this article, glass paper weights can be manufactured that include tiny bits of a loved one’s cremation ashes hand blown into the piece. These works of art resemble any other glass paper weight, with the exception of their very special addition. Depending upon a customer’s desires and needs, an artist can incorporate the ashes conspicuously into the design of the paper weight or he or she can be sure the ashes draw attention to themselves in the design. These amazing functional remembrances are not typically sold at just any store or website that offers paper weights but, rather, must almost always be ordered through a website specializes in memorial products. And, perhaps, the most remarkable thing to know about these functional remembrances is that they are less expensive than one might assume (usually less than $50 in fact) and that the manufacturing turnaround time is shorter than a customer may assume, too (often far less than 4 weeks).
Lapel Pins
Many families choose to bulk order a supply of lapel pins specially designed with the deceased in mind. These beautiful pieces of clothing accessory can be handed out during a memorial ceremony to mourners who can then take this touching piece of memorabilia of a life well lived back to their daily lives, wherein it as stylish-looking piece. Though the lapel pins can be designed to make specific reference to the deceased in the design, many families have found that it is often best to leave the reference vague so that the pins can be worn in other settings without the wearer having to explain his or her connection to the deceased. This piece of functionality of these pins makes them especially valuable to family members and friends who may want to privately grieve their loss without having to answer uncomfortable questions from others who may see the pin. If the piece looks like an ordinary, if stylish, lapel pin, a mourner can rest peacefully in his or he r workday as he pays tribute to the deceased as well.
Key chains
Key chains, likewise, can be purchased in a bulk fashion for distribution during a memorial service or, as with the paper weights above, they can also be ordered on an individual basis with ashes included in the piece during the custom manufacturing process. Many people prefer key chain memorials over lapel pin remembrances because key chains can be used on a daily basis without drawing undue attention to themselves the way repetitive wearing of a specific lapel pin can become a part of a person’s own reputation. Regardless of whether a lapel pin makes direct reference to the deceased, most who own one would likely not feel completely comfortable wearing it more than just a few times a year (on select holidays and anniversaries, for example). With key chains, meanwhile a person would likely not feel awkward about carrying around the same piece each day, perhaps for year on end. So this functional remembrance offers a very unique and creative means by which a person in mourning over the loss of a friend or relative can keep that person’s spirit and memory nearby at all times.
Pendants
Cremation pendants (also known sometimes as cremation jewelry) offer a huge variety of options for those who want to carry a small amount of a loved one’s cremation ashes next to their heart for years on end. These pieces offer an advantage not seen in the previously discussed functional remembrances in that there is no need to ship an envelope filled with a small amount of ashes to an artist who would then incorporate the remains into a work. No, in the case of cremation pendants, a customer simply selects the piece he or she wants (usually at a price ranging anywhere from less than $30 to more than $1,000. As with traditional jewelry, cremation pendants are available in a huge variety of materials and designs, there is truly something for everyone), and the piece arrives in the mail a few days later. Once in the customer’s possession, the pendant can be easily filled with the remains by just about anyone and, in many cases, if a grieving soul is having trouble finding the nerve or will to fill the piece himself, a local funeral home will usually have a person on staff who can do the job quickly and, in most cases, without any charge. As with almost all of the functional remembrances we discuss in this article, cremation pendants are available in designs that make the ashes very visible as well as those that discreetly hide the cremation ashes in compartments that are not readily visible. And, of course, pendants can be placed on necklaces that are worn entirely underneath clothing for those in mourning who desire the most discreet method of wearing the pieces.
Picture Frames
Specially designed picture frames are available as functional remembrances that will certainly enhance just about any special photograph of the deceased. Gone are the days when sharing a photographic memory of the deceased in a special way meant having to dig out an entire photo album collection and display it on a coffee table. Now just about any book shelf or living room table can play host to a meaningful photograph or two featuring the deceased, and the accompanying frame can adorn the picture in a wide variety of designs that reflect the deceased’s legacy and personality precisely. Picture frames can be engraved with special epitaphs and insignia, and many are available in generic form including bible verses and picturesque designs that many customers of online memorial product retailers are surprised to discover match the spirit of their deceased friend or family member exactly, even with no customization required. As with all of the other functional remembrances we have discussed so far, the price of these specialized picture frames will perhaps be of a pleasant surprise to many who might assume them to be prohibitively expensive.
Other Functional Remembrances
The memorial products we have mentioned so far are but a drop in the large sea of memorial products available today to help any family celebrate and memorialize the life of a lost family member in exactly the manner it sees fit. And, that all of these products have functional, practical uses aside from their memorial duties, makes them about as special as one can hope for from any consumer good.
And, as they say, the list goes on…
Clocks that include a special design to perfectly capture the deceased’s memory are available from memorial product retailers of all types, as are lamps, coffee cups and many other functional pieces that are routinely found around a home. Any some cases these amazing pieces can be custom crafted to include a small portion of the remains – especially in those pieces that are blown from glass – and still others are actually cleverly designed cremation urns that contain all of the ashes of a loved one, tucked away in compartments that are often not readily apparent to the uninitiated observer. These surprising pieces offer those who are mourning the loss of a loved one the great emotional security of having a permanent memorial to a friend or loved one’s memory without necessarily having to let others know that’s what the piece is. Keeping a beloved friend close by in this special way can be a great comfort to a grieving person, especially during meaningful times of the year. For ideas on honoring a loved one during the holiday season, see Remembering Loved Ones At Christmas.