The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

What to Put on Your Dog’s Grave: Meaningful Dog Memorial Ideas and Tribute Guide

What to Put on Your Dog’s Grave: Meaningful Dog Memorial Ideas and Tribute Guide

When you’re standing at your dog’s resting place, the world feels quieter, heavier, and strangely unfamiliar. The air around you shifts, carrying echoes of routines that no longer happen, footsteps...

Memorial Tattoos and Body Art: Symbol Ideas, Safety, and Emotional Considerations

Memorial Tattoos and Body Art: Symbol Ideas, Safety, and Emotional Considerations

When someone you love dies, the need to keep them close does not disappear just because the service is over. For some people, that closeness lives in cremation urns for...

Do People Have Memorials for Dogs?

Do People Have Memorials for Dogs?

If you are quietly wondering whether people really have memorials for dogs, or if that is somehow “too much,” the honest answer is simple: yes, they absolutely do. Around the...

Why You Still Cry Over a Pet You Lost Years Ago (and How to Honor That Love)

Why You Still Cry Over a Pet You Lost Years Ago (and How to Honor That Love)

Some grief does not vanish; it settles softly in the places love once lived.It lingers in the doorway where they used to greet you,in the bowl you never threw away,in...

From Collars to Paw Prints: Meaningful Memorial Ideas for a Pet Who Has Died

From Collars to Paw Prints: Meaningful Memorial Ideas for a Pet Who Has Died

When a pet dies, everyday objects suddenly feel louder. The collar that used to jingle is now perfectly still. The leash by the front door has no one tugging at...

Remembering With Food: Memorial Meals, Favorite Recipes, and Family Traditions After a Death

Remembering With Food: Memorial Meals, Favorite Recipes, and Family Traditions After a Death

Food carries memories. The aroma of a favorite dish, the warmth of a shared meal, and the comfort of familiar flavors can help keep a loved one’s presence alive even...

Helping Kids Create Their Own Memorials: Drawings, Letters, Crafts, and Comfort Items

Helping Kids Create Their Own Memorials: Drawings, Letters, Crafts, and Comfort Items

When a child experiences the loss of a loved one, helping children express grief can feel both delicate and overwhelming for adults. The sadness they carry is often complex, expressed...

Pet Urns & Pet Keepsake Jewelry: Choosing a Memorial That Feels Right

Pet Urns & Pet Keepsake Jewelry: Choosing a Memorial That Feels Right

The absence of a beloved pet changes the rhythm of a home. A familiar silence settles in places where their presence once lived, and small objects, a bowl, a favorite...

Coordinating Memorial Dates for Both Pets and People: Avoiding Overwhelm While Honoring Everyone

Coordinating Memorial Dates for Both Pets and People: Avoiding Overwhelm While Honoring Everyone

When the Calendar Starts to Feel Heavy For many families, loss does not happen just once. A parent dies, then years later a spouse. A beloved dog is euthanized after...

Memorializing a Loved One on Social Media: Posts, Tributes, and Privacy Choices

Memorializing a Loved One on Social Media: Posts, Tributes, and Privacy Choices

In the first hours or days after a loss, many families face that empty text box on their screen: “What’s on your mind?” Even though it feels impossible to summarize...

Remembering Together at a Distance: Virtual Vigils, Video Calls, and Shared Online Rituals

Remembering Together at a Distance: Virtual Vigils, Video Calls, and Shared Online Rituals

Grief has always needed company, but the way we gather has changed. Families are often spread across time zones, friends may live in other countries, and grandchildren might join from...

Creating a Memorial Space at Home: Altars, Photo Displays, and Everyday Reminders

Creating a Memorial Space at Home: Altars, Photo Displays, and Everyday Reminders

Home is where memories live, and sometimes the quiet spaces we pass every day remind us of those we’ve loved. A vacant chair, a leash by the door, or the...

Planning a Memorial Slideshow: Photo Selection, Music, and Technical Tips

Planning a Memorial Slideshow: Photo Selection, Music, and Technical Tips

When someone passes away, photos suddenly feel more precious than ever. A memorial slideshow brings those images together into a living story, a gentle way to say, “This is who...

Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Memorial Options and Gentle Support

Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Memorial Options and Gentle Support

When a baby dies during pregnancy or shortly after birth, the grief can feel invisible to the world. People may offer well-meaning words like, “At least it was early,” or...

Choosing a Memorial Charity: Turning “In Lieu of Flowers” into a Living Tribute

Choosing a Memorial Charity: Turning “In Lieu of Flowers” into a Living Tribute

The little line near the bottom of an obituary can carry a surprising amount of weight. You read, “In lieu of flowers, please donate to…,” and suddenly a quiet but...

Holding a Second Memorial or Anniversary Gathering: Remembering a Loved One Later On

Holding a Second Memorial or Anniversary Gathering: Remembering a Loved One Later On

Losing a loved one leaves a lasting void, and the grief that follows doesn’t always fit neatly into the days and weeks after a funeral. For many families, the idea...