Celebrating their birthday

When someone close to us passes, understanding how to mark their birthday can be a challenge.

For many families, the first birthday after the death of their person can be extremely difficult. Even though they have passed, their birthday is still their day, and so can be a strong reminder of their absence or a cause to celebrate them. 

Whether you’re looking for inspiration on ways to honor them on their birthday, or to care for yourself and others, find ideas below:

Celebrate them

  • Be together, social distancing-allowing - A few ideas in this article on ways to remember a loved one on their birthday with others.

  • Do what they loved - Watch their favorite movie, go to their favorite restaurant, do an activity you know they'd love.

  • Visit their gravesite, ashes, or a space you associate with them - As this article notes, this visit can be as somber or celebratory as you'd like.

  • Share photos and stories - Email or text the photos to others, look at photos on your computer together via a group Zoom call, or add to their LifeWeb page.

  • Do nothing - Totally fine, be kind to yourself and give yourself permission to stay private if you'd like.

Check-in with others

Here are a few ideas you can consider on how to let the family and others in the community know you're thinking of them at this important time:

  • Send a text or handwritten note - As this article shows, there is no right thing to say to someone grieving. Just letting them know you're thinking of them is enough.

  • Call - Call or video chat to check-in with them and send a social-distanced hug. If you're not sure about calling on the birthday, consider calling another day that week.

  • Share a photo or memory with them - Instructions here to quickly find digital photos you have on Facebook or Google Photos. Send the photo to them or add it to their LifeWeb page.

  • Donate in their honor - Were donations collected in their memory for a cause near to their heart? Consider making a donation in their name to that same charity, or to another cause you know they’d approve of.

How will you mark this day?

Have more ideas? Send us a note! We’d love to hear how you are marking this day. As a LifeWeb community, we are stronger understanding how else we might support each other.