Memorial Gift Ideas for the Loss of a Sister

A sister is often the one who knew everything first: the crush, the fight, the good news before anyone else. When she is gone, the gift that helps most is one that keeps her in the everyday. A memorial gift for the loss of a sister can be as small as her perfume on a shelf or as lasting as a bench where she loved to sit. Our honest top pick is a bottle of the scent she wore, because it brings her back in a way no photo can.

Hear a song made to honor someone

This one was made for another family. Yours would carry her name and your stories.

11 memorial gift ideas for the loss of a sister

1. A bottle of the perfume she wore. Smell brings a person back faster than a picture. Find her scent and keep it on a shelf for one spray on the hard days. Usually $50 to $150.
2. A charm for the next family wedding. A small photo charm tied to a bouquet or pinned inside a jacket, so she is there for the vows. Usually $20 to $60.
3. Her jewelry, re-set to wear. A jeweler can turn her ring or her earrings into a pendant or a ring that fits you. Usually $80 to $300.
4. A song about her. Share the name she called you, the songs you shouted in the car and what she always did at Christmas, and Songbond turns it into an original song ($39.90). It is something to play on her birthday, or on the long drive home from the family gathering.
5. A blanket printed with photos of you both. For the couch, for the evenings you miss her most. Usually $50 to $100.
6. A bench at the place she loved. A beach, a park, a hiking trail. Many towns offer a bench with a small plaque. Prices vary widely, from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.
7. A book about losing a sister. One written by someone who has been through it, with a note from you inside the cover. Usually $15 to $25.
8. A butterfly garden. A few plants that draw butterflies and hummingbirds, set where you can see them from the kitchen window. Usually $40 to $100 for the plants.
9. Something with her nickname for you. The silly name only she used, on a mug, a tote or a keyring. Usually $15 to $30.
10. Time with her children. If she had kids, give them a regular day with their aunt or uncle: pancakes, a movie and stories about their mom.
11. Help with her things. Sorting a sister's clothes and belongings is a heavy job to do alone. Offer a full Saturday of help, boxes and tape included.

How to choose the right gift

Match the gift to the way she lived. A sister who was all laughs might be better honored by a bench by the sea than a solemn frame.

• If she loved getting dressed up: the perfume or her jewelry, re-set.
• If she held the family together: the wedding charm or the photo blanket.
• If she left children: time with her kids, and the song for when they are older.

Keeping her at the big days

The first wedding, graduation or baby shower without her can hurt more than the funeral did. Small traditions help. Set a reserved chair with a single flower on it. Tie her photo charm to the bouquet. Play her favorite song at the reception, or raise a glass and say her name during the toasts. Talk to whoever is hosting a few weeks before, so it feels planned and not sudden. Most people want to include her and are only waiting for someone to suggest how.

A song for your sister

Make a memorial song for your sister. Tell us her name and a few of the stories only you two shared, and it is ready within 24 hours. If a family event is days away, express delivery gets it to you in about an hour.

Also in the Journal: songs for a sister and songs for the first anniversary of a death.