Rituals, anniversaries & special days

Every year is marked by special occasions such as your child’s birthday, the anniversary of your child’s death, Christmas, Easter, All Saints’ Day, other festivities and anniversaries… Days on which you might want to light a candle in memory and celebration. 

On such days, it is good to have a “plan” to guide you through.

A few suggestions of what you can do:

Bake a birthday cake, gather the family and light the candles together

Make a photo book or collage

Light a candle at your child’s favourite place

Decorate the grave with twigs from your Christmas tree

Be creative as a family – make arts & crafts, e.g. candles

Attach a letter to fireworks and send them off

Send a balloon off into the sky

Go for a walk/hiking

Go on a little trip and surround yourself with nature

Go to a concert

Invite friends over

Go on a mini holiday

Take in the sunrise

Take in the sunset

Make music

Plant a tree

Go to the cinema

Sow plant and flower seeds

Make a scrapbook

Visit the grave

Spend time with family and friends

Lie in the sunshine and let the sun warm your skin

Gather around a bonfire

Fotogalerie

Suggestions for saying goodbye/the funeral

Planning the funeral (funeral speaker, funeral director)

Planning the wake

Planning the church service

Readings

Music/songs

Vorschläge: Verabschiedung/Begräbnis

• Ablauf Verabschiedung (mit Trauerredner, Bestatter)
• Ablauf Totenwache
• Ablauf Gottesdienst
• Texte (für Parten und Traueranzeigen)
• Musik/Lieder

Suggestions for saying goodbye/the funeral