When you were really close with a loved one who passed on, their birthdays can be especially hard on you. These are generally days meant to celebrate life. However, just because that special person is no longer with you doesn’t mean that their life is no longer worth celebrating.
By celebrating birthdays of our loved ones who have passed on, we’re able to honor the lives they lived and also the many people whom they touched. Of course, celebrating the birthday of the deceased will be different than a person who is still living. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it special.
If you’re not sure how to best go about celebrating such a birthday, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. So continue reading and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know!
1. Keep the Traditions Going
You and your loved one probably developed a few birthday traditions over the years. This can include eating your loved one’s favorite breakfast or having their favorite kind of cake for dessert.
When you do something like this, you’ll be able to reignite the smells, tastes, and other happy sensations that used to come up on this person’s birthday.
2. Throw A Birthday Party
Just because your loved one isn’t around anymore doesn’t mean that you can’t still be festive. Invite your friends and friends of the birthday boy or girl over. You all can sit around a table and share your favorite memory of that person.
If you want, you can even record it with video or write the stories down. And you can add to those stories with each passing year. This way, whenever you’re feeling down, you can turn to that book and remember all the great things that that person was able to accomplish in their lifetime.
3. Have a Movie Night
Did your loved one have a favorite movie and movie snack? If so, then throw that movie on and reminisce. If they weren’t much of a movie person, then pop open their favorite book.
This will help you get into their headspace and remember them in a more empathetic and positive way.
4. Write a Letter
Often, after a loved one has passed, we realize that there is so much we wish we could’ve told them. If it was a spouse, you probably miss being able to confide in someone every day.
One way to honor your loved one on their birthday is to write them a letter. In this note, you can update the loved one on what’s going on in your life now. You can tell them about everything that’s happened since their last birthday and other things you wish that they knew.
5. Visit Their Grave
One of the most traditional ways to honor a deceased loved one on their birthday is to visit their gravesite. You can spend time by their grave and even bring them flowers or other offerings. Maybe you’d like to read them a passage from their favorite book.
6. Buy Them a New Urn
Looking for a birthday gift for your loved one? If they were cremated, you can get them some kind of custom or homemade urn to place their ashes. And if you want, make sure to find out more about the cremation process so you can better understand how your loved one was handled.
7. Make a Donation
A great way to preserve your loved one’s legacy and also make a difference in the world is to make a donation in their name. You can donate to one of their favorite causes or charities. And if you want, you can even donate something like a bench in their honor.
You can also donate to a crowdfunding campaign. And when they ask you to sign the donation, you can put it in your loved one’s name.
8. Light a Candle
Lighting a candle is a simple yet powerful way to honor someone on their birthday. Candles are already so ingrained in our culture when it comes to birthdays and also remembrance. By sitting with a lit candle, you can take some time to reflect on the person and how much they affected your life.
9. Share On Social Media
A lot of your friends on social media might also have been friends with your loved one. They would probably appreciate being remembered of your loved one’s birthday. And it would also allow your friends to share memories online.
It’s best to keep these kinds of posts short, sweet, and positive.
10. Spend the Day Doing Something Your Loved One Enjoyed Doing
If your loved one had a favorite hobby, you could take part in that too. If they liked a certain sports team, you could go to a game in their honor.
And if the person who passed away was young, you could do an age-appropriate activity in honor of their birthday. For example, if the loved one would have turned 10, you could go bowling. If they would have turned 18, maybe you can buy a lottery ticket.
The Importance of Celebrating Birthdays for Passed Loved Ones
People mourn and honor their loved ones in different ways. But there’s no denying that we’re all left feeling a little empty when a loved one’s birthday comes around and they’re no longer there to be part of it. But by celebrating birthdays of people who we’ve lost, we can honor their memory and have a fun time doing it.
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