Remembering Dad on Father’s Day

8 Ideas to Memorialize Your Dad

Memorialization can help preserve your memories of your dad and allow those memories to continue to provide comfort, writes Missy Roney on peacefully.com. What this looks like depends on what you and your dad enjoyed doing together or his hobbies, favorite foods, or places. Here are some ideas for paying tribute to your dad this weekend.

1. Write a message, put it in the balloon, and then release it. You can do this alone or have it as a group gathering.
2. Have a cookout with family and friends with all his favorite foods.
3. Buy a card, visit the cemetery, and read it to him. Or make a card. I remember making a card for my dad when I was probably about seven or eight years old and giving it to him before Sunday school. He proudly showed it off to anyone at church that day.
4. If your mother is still living, remember to include her, asking her about their first Father’s Day and what that was like.
5. Plant something in his honor (his favorite flower or a tree).
6. Put together a photo album with all those photos of him you’ve meant to organize. Create several small albums if you have siblings featuring them with their dad as a gift.
7. Create a unique piece of jewelry or a keepsake. Did he like motorcycles, golf, hiking, or baseball? You can incorporate any of these into a truly personalized keepsake. Did you know? We have the largest selection of keepsakes and jewelry—we can help you create something unique for you or to give as a gift.
8. Start a new tradition in honor of your dad.

4 Ways to Support a Friend

If you have a friend who has lost their dad, here are some ways for you to offer support.

1. SAY HIS NAME: Don’t be afraid to talk about him. We may think that talking about him may upset them. However, “by saying or asking their name, you create an opportunity” for your friend to talk about their dad and the memories they have of him, according to speakinggrief.org. “If you don’t know it already, ask what their name was. If you know their name, continue to use it. Allowing a griever to say their name out loud is a powerful gift.”
2. SHARE MEMORIES: If you knew him, share some memories of him. Your friend will appreciate it.
3. CHECK IN WITH THEM: A quick text will say you’re thinking about them. Says Matt Scott, who lost his father in 2017. “It means a lot to have friends who simply show up—who just check in and are there. Even if it was a mundane “Hey, how’s it going?”
4. SPEND TIME WITH THEM: If they want to. Ask them to go to a movie with you or for a hike.

You Choose. It’s OK.

Choose how you want to spend the day. If you’re sad, don’t feel like you must set aside your grief this weekend, advises vistas.com. “It’s ok to acknowledge Father’s Day without participating.” You may also feel happy, content, or nothing at all. You may feel differently next year. Take care of yourself each step with what feels right for you.

By Carrie Campbell, Blog Contributor