Did you know October 28 is Visit a Cemetery Day?

Despite its closeness to Halloween, it’s not meant to be a spooky or scary holiday. It’s to encourage families to visit and reconnect with their loved ones. Together, you can gather to honor and remember your loved one.

Below are a few ideas for memorializing and honoring a loved one on Visit a Cemetery Day.

Decorate Their Gravesite

Decorating your loved one’s gravesite is an easy way to bring your family together to honor a loved one. There are many ways to add personal, meaningful touches to your loved one’s grave. Just make sure you check with the cemetery about their decoration rules.

Most cemeteries allow these decorations:

• Fresh or fake flowers
• Wreaths
• Small flags
• Wind chimes
• Grave blankets
• Photos or notes — just make sure to secure them down

A few decorations that typically aren’t allowed are:

• Fences or borders
• Glass objects
• Stuffed animals
• Large flags or banners
• Light-up decorations
• Things stuck in the ground or free-standing decorations

Don’t forget to also factor in the weather conditions when choosing your decorations. For more details about the dos and don’ts of grave decorations, check out this grave personalization article.

Gather for a Family Picnic

Spend the afternoon at your loved one’s gravesite by having a family picnic. You can make your loved one’s favorite dishes or their famous recipes that everyone loves. While you’re there, you can decorate the grave and share happy memories and funny stories about your loved one. If the weather conditions are bad, you can have a backup location for your picnic, such as a community park shelter or a family member’s house.

Clean Up Their Gravesite

Visit a Cemetery Day also provides an opportunity to clean up your loved one’s gravesite. You can replace any wilted flowers, brush away any dirt or leaves, and add new decorations to keep your loved one’s gravesite looking nice. It’s a simple way to show your respect and honor your loved one.

Create a Memorial Post

For those who prefer to memorialize and grieve your loved one online, you can take a photo of your loved one’s gravesite and create a touching social media post. It can feature the new decorations, cleanliness, your picnic, or your loved one’s gravestone. If you’d rather keep the photo more private, you can just share it with family and friends in a private message.

What other ways can you honor your loved one on Visit a Cemetery Day? Share your ideas with us in the comments!