Losing your mother is heartbreaking, but that doesn’t mean her memory can’t live on. While you can keep those memories in your head to revisit anytime, creating heartfelt memory keepsakes and experiences can be a poignant way to share, reminiscence, and remember her.
Capture has preserved memories for 12 million families, and we want to help you preserve the memory of your mom too. That’s why we put together this blog with 16 heartfelt ways for keeping Mom's memory alive.
Keep reading to discover 16 ways to honor a lost mother & best friend including memory albums, keepsakes, journaling, special occasions, living tributes, family gatherings, and more.
Jump to:
- Creating Tangible Keepsakes
- Writing and Documenting Memories
- Sharing and Celebrating Memories
- Living Tributes
- Culinary Connections
- Art and Creativity
- Honoring Through Giving
- Preserving Her Voice and Stories
- Conclusion
Creating Tangible Keepsakes
One way to ensure your mother’s memory lives on is through tangible keepsakes with photos, family memories, and writing.
1. Memory Albums and Scrapbooks
A memory album or scrapbook is one of the best options for preserving Mom's memory because you can include all your old photos and Polaroid pictures of your mother. You can organize it chronologically from your mother’s childhood and high school years to her as a parent, friend, and mom. You can also choose or organize it by events and holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Then, you and your loved ones can write in their own favorite memories of mom, creating lasting keepsakes. Don’t know how to scrapbook? It’s not hard and there are plenty of kits and guides online! We also recommend digitizing your photos with Capture before using them in a scrapbook, so that those beautiful memories are never lost.
2. Keepsake Jewelry
You can create keepsake jewelry in memory of Mom that you can wear, always keeping her close to your heart. You can include lockets or other jewelry with pictures of your mom with angel wings, create a fingerprint keepsake, or engrave jewelry with “I Love You” or something she said that always sticks with you.
We recommend using a type of jewelry that your mom would like as a poignant reminder of the things that made her special.
3. Memory Quilts
Memory quilts are a great way to ensure your memories of mom always keep you warm. You can use her clothing or fabrics with her favorite colors to create the quilt. Another option is to have each family member design a different square, adding their memories of your mother that will live on in the quilt.
If you learned to sew from your mom, then this option can offer even more meaning and memories.
Writing and Documenting Memories
Another way to preserve memories of your mom is to write them in a journal or letter. This is perfect for those who prefer writing over arts and crafts.
4. Journaling
Journaling about your mom can be highly therapeutic, giving you an outlet for your grief while also including positive memories of her impact on your life. You can write without any restrictions, letting out all your favorite memories and experiences.
Another option is to use a few different prompts. Here are some to get you started:
- What is your earliest memory of Mom?
- What does your mom mean to you?
- Recall a time when you laughed or were silly with your mom.
- Find a photo of your mom and describe the experiences from that particular day.
- What would you say to your mom if you could have one last conversation with her?
5. Writing Letters
Writing a letter to your mom can help you process emotions and speak to her again. You can write a letter telling her how much she means to you in simple terms, tell her “I miss you and I am thinking of you,” or explain some of the things that have happened since she passed away.
Similar to journaling, try to write without any restrictions, letting all your thoughts, grief, and memories out. Then, you can even put it in a sealed envelope that you can open once each year to add more thoughts.
Sharing and Celebrating Memories
One of the main reasons you miss your mom is the shared experiences that you had with her. That’s why remembering a deceased mother through new experiences and occasions can be a wonderful experience.
6. Family Gatherings
A family gathering in the loving memory of your mom can be a bittersweet and meaningful experience. You can gather and share stories remembering the good, while grieving together over the loss. By doing so, you can find comfort and support in your family, while cherishing the time you had with your mother.
If you have them, you can even view slides on a slide projector, view VHS home movies, or go through old fashioned camera photos.
You can even turn this family fathering into an annual event with mother tribute activities, like praying to God and your mom in heaven, a time capsule filled with memories and keepsakes, or another tradition that your mother would have loved.
7. Special Occasions
You might enjoy doing something on special days like celebrating your mom’s birthday or celebrating mom's life on Mother’s Day. You can use this day to visit her grave and add flowers or enjoy your mom’s favorite activities whether that means staying at home doing a puzzle, playing cards with your family, eating a Sunday brunch, or going to her favorite vacation spot.
Try to think of something that is personally meaningful for both you and your family. Your mother was unique, so your special occasion activities should be as well.
Living Tributes
Another option for honoring your mother's legacy is to ensure she lives on throughout your hobbies and experiences.
8. Gardening in Her Honor
This is literally a “living” tribute to your mom. You can plant her favorite flowers or a tree in your memory. Additionally, you can design an entire memorial garden, complete with keepsakes, engraved stones, and other items that mean a lot to you and your mother.
This is perfect for any mom, but it’s especially meaningful if your mom loved to garden. It can also make a great memorial Christmas gift, giving your other loved ones a place to go and reflect on their memories.
9. Hobbies and Passions
Did your mom have a favorite hobby or passion? Try learning that same hobby to keep her spirit alive in your daily and enjoyable activities. Whether she was a singer, swimmer, photographer, or chef, each time you participate in these activities will be memorializing a mother.
For a shorter-term goal, you can read her favorite book, watch her favorite movie, or go to her favorite place in the world. This will still bring her unique personality and spirit alive in your memories.
Culinary Connections
We connect through food and shared meals, which is why these mother memorial ideas can be a fantastic way to honor her.
10. Cooking Her Recipes
Nobody cooks like Mom. You can start cooking her favorite dishes, or even the foods she made for you when you were younger. This can help you connect with her while springing up old memories.
Plus, you can then share these meals with other loved ones, creating new memories in the process. That makes this a great way to remember Mom and bring back cherished memories of her.
11. Family Recipe Book
Another culinary option that makes a great present for Dad or a gift for Grandpa is a family recipe book. You can highlight all your mom’s favorite recipes, while adding other family recipes into it. Then, your mom’s memory will live on through the meals she inspired.
This is also a keepsake that you can pass down to future generations, who will continue to make your mom’s favorite dishes and best recipes.
Art and Creativity
For the arts and crafts enthusiasts, these options can be wonderful mom remembrance projects.
12. Memory Collages
You can use all your old photos as well as documents, newspaper clippings, obituaries, and other keepsakes to create a memory collage. Then, you can display this collage in your home. Just make sure you convert photos to digital first, so that those memories can last forever.
If you prefer digital creativity, you can also create a virtual scrapbook or collage by combining all your favorite digital images of your mom. Capture can help you digitize all your photos. We even offer the first-ever touchless photo album scanning services, which means you can send your album and we’ll digitize each photo without having to remove it.
13. DIY Craft Projects
There are also DIY craft projects that you can use for commemorating a beloved mother. Here are a few options that you might want to consider:
- Photo frames engraved with special messages
- Memory jars filled with notes sharing stories about mom
- Custom candles with your mom’s favorite scents
- Wall art or home decor with your mom’s favorite flowers and photos
- A windchime engraved with memories
Whatever you choose, make sure it represents your mom’s memory with the right colors, messages, photos, and experiences.
Honoring Through Giving
You shouldn’t overlook preserving your mom through charitable acts in her name, because this allows your mother to continue being generous and helpful even after she passes away.
14. Charitable Acts in Her Name
You can find charities that were meaningful to your mom, or that she would support. Whether she wants to preserve nature, would’ve loved to volunteer at a homeless shelter, or wished for better cancer research, you can donate in her name.
Another option is to start a memorial fund, asking for donations from friends and family members. This can allow everyone to donate in your mom’s name, and help you create a bigger donation without overspending your personal budget.
Preserving Her Voice and Stories
One final way to preserve your mom’s memory is through her voice, images, and stories. This can be with existing recordings, or with story collections from your family.
15. Audio and Video Recordings
You can preserve your mom’s memory by digitizing old home movies of her, or audio recordings. You can also have each of your loved ones add to the old movie reel with their personal thoughts about her and everything she meant to them.
Capture can help you preserve your old movies and photos of your mom. That’s because we offer the highest quality digitization services for everything from old photographs to photo slides, Super 8 film reels, and videotapes.
16. Story Collections
One final bonus idea is to have your loved ones each write down stories of your mom. These can be old stories that you’ve heard a thousand times, or new stories that they’ve never shared before. Then, you can create a book with all those stories that you can pass down through your family.
Another option is to collect those stories in an online blog that you can add to any time you have a special memory.
Conclusion
Whether you want to journal for emotional healing after losing Mom, carry on family traditions to remember Mom, or create tangible or living tributes, we hope that you’ve found something that guarantees your Mom’s memory will live on in your family, mind, and heart.
You have our condolences for the loss of your mother, and we’d love to help you honor your mother. If you are creating any photo or home movies keepsakes, then Capture can ensure those memories also live on in digital format. Click here to learn more about our memory preservation services.
