Memorial gift ideas

11 November 2026

A good memorial gift keeps the person's name and gives the family somewhere to return to: a star named in their memory, a letter of your own memories of them, or your time on the hard dates later on. The best ones ask nothing of a grieving family and can be given at the funeral or on any anniversary years later.

What makes a good memorial gift?

When someone is grieving, the gifts that tend to matter are the ones that keep a name. Flowers are kind, but they are gone within a couple of weeks. Something written down, which carries the person's name and can be returned to on the hard days, often stays with a family far longer.

A few kinds of gift do this well:

• Something that carries their name. A dedication that will still be there in years to come, such as a star named in their memory.
• Your own memories, written down. A letter describing a time you spent with them, which the family can keep and reread.
• Something for the children. Grandchildren, nieces and nephews often want something to hold or somewhere to point.
• Your time, later on. A promise to call on the first anniversary, when most of the cards have stopped.

A star named in their memory

A named star asks nothing of anyone. There is nothing to look after and no date it insists on. It is simply there, with their name against it, on the clear nights and on the difficult ones. We run two star naming brands, each with its own register, documents and website, so you can choose the one that suits you and the family.

The Star Naming Co.

The Star Naming Co. dedicates a real star from the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues to the person you are remembering, with their name and a short dedication of your own recorded in its register. The star is named for eternity on our database.

• Five A4 documents. A certificate, a welcome letter, a co-ordinates sheet, the story of the star's constellation and an extract from the register. Some families print the certificate for the service itself.
• A star page of its own. An interactive sky map showing the star among its constellation, with your dedication.
• Ready within minutes. The digital version arrives by email shortly after ordering. A printed pack, on fine cream stock, is posted free in the UK if there is time.
• Copies for everyone. You can reprint at home, free, for life, for an anniversary or for a grandchild who asks about the name one day.

Read more about naming a star in memory of someone with The Star Naming Co.

Intergalactic Star Database

Intergalactic Star Database registers a star from the Hipparcos catalogue in its own database under whatever name you type, up to 60 characters, printed exactly as written. Its pack holds a Certificate of Registry, a Star Area Co-ordinates Sheet showing the months the star is best placed, a welcome letter and a fold-out star chart.

Stars registered from November 2026 each have a page on its website, where relatives anywhere can look the star up with its Database Number, see it on a live sky map and print their own copy of the certificate. A print-at-home version is ready as soon as you have paid, and the posted pack can go straight to a relative's address in the UK. There is more on a star in memory of a loved one on its website.

What should a memorial dedication say?

Whether it goes on a certificate, in a card or at the top of a letter of memories, there is no wrong answer, and it can help to talk it over with others in the family first. Some ideas:

• Their full name. The most formal choice, and hard to get wrong.
• The name everyone used. If they were always known by a nickname, a formal name may not feel like them.
• A name and dates. Check the dates against something written down first.
• A short phrase. Such as "Forever in our hearts" or "Goodnight, Dad".
• Something they used to say. A favourite saying can bring a person back better than any tribute.

Whatever you choose, ask someone else in the family to check the spelling.

When is the right time to give a memorial gift?

There isn't one. Some people want to do something in the first days after a death; others come to it years later. Moments families often choose:

• Around the funeral. A digital or print-at-home star can be printed and handed over at the service, or its name and number included in an order of service.
• The first birthday or anniversary without them. These are often the hardest dates, and it can help to have something to do.
• The first Christmas. For a family missing someone, a gift that names them gives them a place in the season. See our Christmas gift ideas for order dates.
• Mother's Day or Father's Day. Days when everyone else's plans can be hard to be around.
• Years later. It is never too late, and it doesn't need an occasion.

If the loss is a much-loved animal, see our page on pet memorial gifts.

Giving a memorial gift to someone who is grieving

Any memorial gift is a personal one, so it is worth a moment's thought first. Would they welcome it now, or in a few months? Do you know the name they would use? Is there someone close to them who could tell you?

A short handwritten note is usually all that is needed alongside it: something you remember about the person, and that you wanted there to be something that kept their name.

How quickly can a memorial star be ready?