Funeral services these days are focusing on the celebration of an individual's life and accomplishments, instead of focusing around the sense of loss and grief that comes when a person dies. Relatives and friends are finding creative ways to eulogize their loved one's impact on the world, and on the people he or she has left behind. Here are several ideas that you can incorporate into a memorial service that are more celebratory than mournful.

Have A Memory Table

You can use a memory table. Look for one or more key themes that relate to the deceased's life, and use those themes to choose items for a memory table. For example, if the funeral is for someone who loved bowling, you can create a table around that theme using his or her bowling shirt, ball, any trophies that he or she won, and photos of the deceased when he or she was at the bowling alley.

Using a memory table can help you keep the focus on your loved one's life, not death.

Give Away Mementos 

Similar to a memory table, a memento table is designed to showcase items that reflect the personality of your loved one, and to evoke pleasant images of him or her in people's minds. However, unlike a memory table, items on the memento table are meant to be given away. For example, if the deceased was an avid reader, and had a lot of books, you can have a stack of the deceased's books to give away after the service. If your loved one was known to be a cook, you can print up cards with his or her favorite recipes on them, and then give them out to people at the funeral. That way, everyone in attendance will take home something that will remind them of the person they all loved.

Have A Butterfly Release

For many cultures, butterflies symbolize the spirit or soul, and represent transformation and positive change. In recent years, butterfly farms have begun to raise butterflies specifically for the purpose of having them for release at the end of funeral services.

Because of their unique symbolism, butterflies often bring a sense of peace and hope at a funeral service. However, when butterflies aren't available, you can always have a helium balloon release at the end of the service instead. They're also symbolic of celebrations, rather than mourning.

Have A Tree Of Life

In order to have a Tree of Life at the funeral service, you will need a small tree branch (or artificial tree) in a decorative pot, some small note cards, pens, yarn, scissors, and a hole-punch. Put the potted tree branch where it is highly visible, along with a table full of the note cards and the other items. Ask people to write a short memory involving your loved one that they will always cherish on the card and use the yarn to hang the note on the tree.

The shared experiences can serve as a way to bring people together at the funeral home and keep the focus clearly on the joy your loved one brought to the world during his or her lifetime.

It's always hard when someone that you love dies. However, by focusing on his or her life, rather than death, you keep the spirit and memory of that person alive for others and yourself. Talk to a funeral home, such as Pritts Funeral Home & Chapel PA, if you want to use any of these ideas, or to get other ideas.