If you’re planning a celebration of life it’s easy to overlook the favors. You may have completely forgotten about them or not even been sure if they’re a part of a celebration of life. Or maybe you already know exactly what they’d want people to walk away with be it a bag of their favorite candy or a scratch off ticket.
A celebration of life is usually warmer and more relaxed than a traditional funeral. And the favors can be too.
They don’t have to be quiet or somber. They can be bright, a little funny and something that reflects the person person being celebrated.
So if you’re not sure about what to get for celebration of life favors we have favor ideas by theme and budget, easy things to make, interactive favor stations, ideas for kids and lots of short wording for tags and signs. If you’re still deciding on the overall feel of the day our guide to celebration of life vs funeral explains how the two usually differ.
Remember that favors are optional. If you feel it’s just too much don’t worry about them.
But if you’d like guests to leave with a small piece of the person you’re celebrating there are lots of easy ways to do it.
What Makes a Good Celebration of Life Favor
The best celebration of life favors are small, cheap enough to make in bulk and clearly linked to the deceased. When someone picks one up and smiles because it reminds them of that person – that’s when you’ve got it right.
A few things that help:
- It reflects something they loved, said or always had with them
- It’s easy to carry home in a pocket or bag
- It has their name on it somewhere, even if it’s just a tag
- It suits the feel of the day whether that’s a backyard cookout or a dinner in a restaurant
- Someone other than you can put it together
Don’t feel you need something expensive or engraved. People keep the silly little things that remind them of a laugh far longer than they keep anything fancy.
Fun and Lighthearted Favor Ideas
These work well for a celebration of life that is more like a party. They’re also good for someone who never took life too seriously.
- Lottery scratch-off tickets with a tag that says “______ always felt lucky to know you”
- Packs of playing cards for the card shark in the family
- Koozies printed with their name, a favorite saying or their dates
- Sunglasses in their favorite color for an outdoor celebration
- Mini bottles of hot sauce with a custom label for the person who put it on everything
- Bags of popcorn with a “movie night on ______” tag
- Candy bars with a custom wrapper featuring their photo
- Bubbles for everyone to blow at the end of the day
- Small packs of the gum or mints they always handed out
- Rubber ducks for someone who loved the water or just loved being silly
- Pins or buttons with their face, a nickname or a catchphrase
- Bottle openers engraved with their name
- Party poppers or noisemakers for a big send off moment
If you go for something like custom koozies or candy wrappers check how long printing takes before you commit to them. Some places can do it in a couple of days but some may need a couple of weeks.
Celebration of Life Favors by Theme
A lot of celebrations of life follow a theme that’s done around a hobby or the kind of gathering they loved most. Matching the favor to that theme keeps everything feeling like it matches and should be together.
Backyard Cookout or BBQ
- Small jars of their BBQ rub or sauce with the recipe on the label
- Grilling spice packets tied with twine
- Bottle openers or koozies
- S’mores kits in clear bags, if you’ll have a fire pit going
- Printed cards with their secret burger or rib recipe
100 PCS Key Bottle Openers with Tag Cards and Key Chains(Gold)
Beach or Lake
- Flip flop keychains or bottle openers
- Small bottles of sunscreen with a custom label
- Shells with their initials painted on
- Saltwater taffy in little bags
- Postcards of their favorite beach with a note on the back
Premium Assorted Saltwater Taffy, 1 lb, Individually Wrapped Candy
Garden Party
- Seed packets of the flowers or vegetables they grew
- Small pots of herbs like basil or mint
- Succulents in tiny terra cotta pots
- Flower bulbs in a paper bag with planting instructions
- Pressed flowers in a small frame or card
Forget Me Not Seed Packets – Celebration of Life Favors for Guests
Sports Fan or Tailgate
- Team colored wristbands or bandanas
- Foam fingers for a big group photo
- Bags of peanuts or Cracker Jack
- Golf balls, tees or ball markers for the golfer
- Baseball cards from their favorite team with a tag tucked in
60 PCS Mini Foam Finger Sports Hand Finger
Music Lover or Dance Party
- Guitar picks printed with their name
- A card with a QR code linking to a playlist of their favorite songs
- Glow sticks for the last dance
- Vinyl record coasters
- Earplugs with a funny tag, if they were the one who always turned it up
Custom Guitar Picks, Personalized Guitar Picks
If you’re putting that playlist together our list of songs for a celebration of life might give you a few ideas.
Coffee or Tea Lover
- Single serve packs of their favorite coffee
- Tea bags in a small envelope with a “have a cup of tea with ______” tag
- Hot cocoa mix in a jar
- Biscotti or shortbread in a small bag
Traveler or Adventurer
- Luggage tags with their name and a favorite saying
- Postcards from places they visited
- Small compasses with a “find your way” tag
- Passport style booklets with photos from their trips
- Maps with a pin in their favorite spot
Fishing or Outdoors
- Fishing lures or flies with a tag tied to the hook eye
- Carabiner keychains
- Small packs of trail mix
- Tree saplings or pine cone seed kits
12PCS Carabiner Keychain Clip – 3″ Aluminum Caribeener Key Clip
Food and Drink Favors
Food is one of the easiest ways to share someone, especially if they were the one who always fed everybody. A little bag of something homemade says more than most things you could buy.
- Cookies made from their recipe, with the recipe on the tag
- Small jars of their homemade jam, pickles or salsa
- Bags of the candy they always had in their pocket or purse
- Mini loaves of banana bread or zucchini bread
- Fudge or brittle wrapped in wax paper
- Honey sticks or small jars of local honey
- A spice blend they used in everything
- Mini bottles of their favorite drink for a toast, for adults only
If you’re thinking about mini bottles of liquor or wine check with the venue first. Some don’t allow outside alcohol at all. Keep them on a separate table away from the kids or give them out at the toast instead.
Think about allergies with any food favor. A small label saying “contains nuts” or “contains dairy” is easy and saves you any worry or problems.
DIY Favors You Can Make in an Afternoon
To so these you’ll need a printer, some ribbon or twine and a few friends around a kitchen table. Making them together can be a nice way to spend a few hours talking about the person too.
- Printed seed packets with their photo and dates
- Bookmarks with a photo on one side and a favorite saying on the other
- Recipe cards in their handwriting, scanned and printed
- Painted rocks with their initials or a small heart
- Photo magnets made from printed photos and adhesive magnet sheets
- Tealight candles wrapped with a printed label
- Mason jars of hot cocoa or cookie mix with a tag
- Seed bombs made from clay, compost and wildflower seeds
- Small bags of potpourri or dried lavender
For seed packets and seed bombs choose a mix that suits where you live. A local garden center can usually suggest a good native wildflower blend.
Interactive Favor Ideas
Some of the best celebration of life favors are ones guests help make or choose themselves. They give people something to do with their hands which can be a real relief when they’re not sure what to say.
- Pick a photo: print some photos and let each guest take the one that means most to them
- Take a book: set out books from their shelves for guests to take home
- Take one of their things: a table of ties, scarves, mugs, hats or costume jewelry for people to choose from
- Plant a pot: small pots, soil and seeds so guests can plant something to take home
- Bracelet station: beads in their favorite colors for people to make a bracelet
- Candy bar: jars of their favorite sweets and little bags so guests can fill their own
- Memory swap: guests write a memory on a card, drop it in a box and take a printed card with their photo in return
- Coffee bar: their favorite blend and small bags for people to scoop a portion to take home
The “take one of their things” table can be great but only if the family is ready for it. There’s no rush to part with anything.
Eco Friendly Favors
If they cared about the planet or loved being outdoors an eco friendly favor can be a quiet nod to that.
- Seed paper cards that can be planted after reading
- Tree saplings for guests to plant at home
- Beeswax wraps with a small tag
- Reusable tote bags printed with their name
- A card saying a tree has been planted or a donation made to a charity they supported
- Small potted succulents in recycled tins
Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Wrap Roll, 14 x 53 in – Honeycomb
Favors for Kids
Children often come to a celebration of life, especially a relaxed one. A small favor just for them can help them feel included.
- Bubbles
- Coloring pages with the person’s favorite animal or place
- Crayons and a card where they can draw a picture of the person
- Sunflower seeds to grow at home
- Stickers or temporary tattoos
- Small soft toys
- Kites, if you’re outdoors and it’s a breezy day
Celebration of Life Favor Tag Wording
Keep tag wording short. A few words, their name and maybe their dates is more than enough. You can be a little lighter here than you would at a funeral.
Short and Simple
- Celebrating ______
- Thank you for celebrating ______ with us
- In loving memory of ______, [year] to [year]
- A little piece of ______ to take home
- Thanks for being part of ______’s story
- Remembering the good times with ______
- With love, from ______’s family
- Loved always, missed every day
- Carry ______ with you
- A life well lived and well loved
Fun and Upbeat
- ______ would want you to have fun with this
- Party like ______ is watching
- One for the road, from ______
- ______ always said life’s too short. Enjoy!
- Go do something ______ would do
- Sweet treats for a sweet soul
- Stay lucky. Love, ______
- Laugh often, just like ______ did
- ______ never left a party early. Neither should you
- Have a little fun on ______ today
For Seeds and Plants
- Plant these for ______ and watch them grow
- Let love grow. Celebrating ______
- ______’s garden lives on with you
- Bloom where you’re planted, just like ______ did
- Grow something beautiful in ______’s honor
For Food and Drink
- ______’s famous recipe. Make it often
- Raise a glass to ______
- Have a cup on ______ today
- Made with love, just the way ______ made it
- Cheers to ______
- ______ would never let you leave hungry
For Candles
- Light this when you think of ______
- Let your light shine, like ______’s did
- A little glow for ______
For longer lines you could adapt our celebration of life quotes page has lots.
Sign Wording for the Favor Table
A small sign tells people the favors are for them. Without one a lot of guests won’t realize they can take anything.
- Please take one in memory of ______
- Take a little piece of ______ home with you
- Thank you for celebrating ______. Please take a favor
- ______ loved to give. Please take one
- Choose one that reminds you of ______
- Take a book, share a story
- Grab a seed packet and plant something for ______
- Fill a bag with ______’s favorite treats
You can match the look of the sign to your printed invitations and programs. Our pages on celebration of life invitation wording and program wording can help with the rest.
Cards to Include With a Favor
For close family, friends who helped or people who traveled a long way you might want to include a short note with their favor.
Dear ______,
Thank you for coming to celebrate ______ with us today. They always lit up when you were around, and we wanted you to take home a little something to remember them by.
With love,
________
******************
Dear friend,
______ loved nothing more than a good get-together with the people they cared about. Thank you for being one of them. We hope this small gift brings back a happy memory or two.
Warmly,
________
******************
Dear ______,
Thank you for everything you did to help make today happen. ______ would have loved it, and I know they’d want to say thank you too. This is just a small token from all of us.
With love and thanks,
________
******************
Dear ______,
These were ______’s favorite. Every time we see one we think of them, and now we hope you will too.
Love,
________
Tips for Celebration of Life Favors
- How many: plan one per household plus a few spares unless it’s something kids will want their own of.
- Where to put them: a table near the exit works well so guests pick one up as they leave.
- At the tables: for a seated meal you can put a favor at each place setting instead.
- Timing: check delivery and printing times for anything custom before you order.
- One idea is enough: pick one favor and do it well rather than three that you spread yourself across and don’t do justice to.
- Hand it off: this is a perfect job for the friend who keeps asking how they can help.
- Weather: skip chocolate or anything that melts for a summer celebration outdoors.
- Leftovers: send spares to people who couldn’t come, or tuck them in with your thank you notes.
If you do have spares they go nicely with funeral thank you notes for anyone who sent flowers or helped from a distance.
A favor is only a small thing. But I think there’s something lovely about guests going home with a seed packet on the fridge or a guitar pick in a wallet and thinking of that person every time they see it.
Choose something that makes you smile when you think of them and trust that it’ll do the same for everyone else. For more ways to keep them close long after the celebration have a look at our ideas on how to keep a loved one’s memory alive.