10 Creative Ways to Use Memorial Buttons | Beyond Funeral Services

Memorial buttons serve as beautiful tributes during funeral services, but their value extends far beyond a single day. These meaningful keepsakes can honor your loved one's memory in creative ways for years to come. Here are ten thoughtful ideas for using memorial buttons long after the service ends.

 

1. Create a Memorial Shadow Box Display

Transform memorial buttons into lasting home décor by creating a shadow box display. This elegant presentation keeps your loved one's memory visible in your daily life.

**How to create your memorial button shadow box:**

Purchase a deep shadow box frame (available at craft stores like Michael's or Hobby Lobby). Choose a size based on how many buttons you want to display—8x10 works well for 4-6 buttons.

Arrange buttons in a meaningful pattern. You might create a heart shape, spell initials, or simply group them aesthetically. Include other memorial items like service programs, photos, or small mementos.

Use foam mounting squares or pins to secure buttons at different depths, creating visual interest. Add a mat board background in a color that complements your home décor.

Hang your shadow box in a place where you'll see it often—perhaps a hallway, bedroom, or personal office space. This daily reminder brings comfort and keeps memories close.

2. Distribute to Extended Family and Friends

The funeral service may have had limited buttons for immediate attendees. Consider ordering additional [memorial buttons](/) to send to extended family, distant friends, or those who couldn't attend.

Long-distance relatives especially appreciate receiving this tangible connection. Include a brief note: "We wanted you to have this memorial button from [name]'s service. Though you couldn't be there, you were in our thoughts."

Childhood friends, former colleagues, or old neighbors often treasure these keepsakes even if they learned about the death after the service had passed. It's never too late to share this meaningful tribute.

3. Annual Memorial Date Remembrance

Many families gather on the anniversary of a death or on the deceased's birthday. Memorial buttons create a tradition for these annual remembrances.

**Ideas for annual memorial dates:**

- **Birthday gatherings:** Family members wear memorial buttons while celebrating together, sharing stories and looking through photos
- **Death anniversary commemoration:** Visit the gravesite or favorite location wearing buttons as a visible sign of continued love
- **Holiday remembrance:** Some families wear memorial buttons during holidays that were special to their loved one—perhaps Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving gathering
- **Memorial fundraiser events:** If you organize charitable events in your loved one's name, memorial buttons identify participants and create unity

Order fresh memorial buttons each year or reuse the originals. Either way, this ritual keeps memory alive across generations.

4. Attach to Memorial Quilts or Pillows

Memorial quilts made from a loved one's clothing hold deep meaning. Adding their memorial button creates an extra personal touch.

**How to incorporate buttons into textile memorials:**

- **Sew to quilt corner:** Attach the button to one corner of a memorial quilt using strong thread through the pin backing holes
- **Create pillow embellishment:** Add the button to the center or corner of memorial pillows
- **Add to tote bags:** Memory tote bags made from clothing can feature the memorial button as a closure or decorative element

The button doesn't need to be functional—it serves as a label and additional memorial element on these cherished fabric keepsakes.

5. Donate to Organizations or Causes

If your loved one was passionate about a cause, organization, or charity, consider donating memorial buttons to that group.

**Organizations that appreciate memorial button donations:**

- **Veterans organizations:** VFW or American Legion posts often display memorial buttons of deceased members
- **Churches or faith communities:** Memorial boards in fellowship halls can include buttons honoring deceased congregation members
- **Nonprofit organizations:** If your loved one volunteered extensively, the organization might display buttons in their office or at events
- **School or university:** Alumni associations sometimes create memorial displays including buttons of deceased graduates
- **Hospice facilities:** Some hospices maintain memorial walls where families can contribute buttons

Check with the organization first, but most welcome this type of memorial contribution.

6. Include in Memory Books or Scrapbooks

Memorial buttons fit perfectly in memory books, providing a three-dimensional element to flat photos and text.

**Creative scrapbook ideas:**

Use clear plastic pockets to hold the button so it can be removed and worn if desired. Photograph the button and include both the photo and the actual button on facing pages.

Create a timeline scrapbook page showing the person's life, with the memorial button as the final element. Include a small envelope attached to a page where the button can be stored safely.

For family history scrapbooks, memorial buttons provide future generations with a tangible connection to ancestors they never met.

7. Classroom or Workplace Memorial

If your loved one was a teacher, coach, or beloved workplace figure, consider creating a permanent memorial display with buttons.

**How to approach institutional memorials:**

Contact the principal, athletic director, or HR department about creating a memorial display. Offer to provide a framed presentation including the button, photo, and brief biography.

**Schools** might place the memorial in trophy cases, hallways, or the library. **Workplaces** often have memorial areas in common spaces or conference rooms.

This ensures colleagues and students remember their impact for years to come. New employees or students will learn about the person who came before them.

8. Gift to Grandchildren or Young Family Members

Young children at funerals may not fully understand the significance of memorial buttons. Give them these keepsakes years later when they're old enough to appreciate them.

**Age-appropriate memorial button presentations:**

- **Elementary school age (6-10):** Present the button along with stories and photos. Help them understand who the person was and how they're connected
- **Teenage years (13-16):** Give buttons before major milestones like graduations, where they might wear them under gowns or on bags
- **Young adulthood (18-25):** Include memorial buttons in graduation gifts, wedding presentations, or when they have their first child

Store extra buttons carefully so they're available for these future milestone moments. Young people often develop a deeper interest in family history as they age.

9. Travel Memorial Tributes

Some families bring memorial buttons on significant trips or to places their loved one always wanted to visit.

**Memorial travel ideas:**

Take a button to a location on your loved one's bucket list. Photograph it there and create a "traveling memorial" album or social media series.

Bring buttons on family vacations and include them in group photos. "Dad's here with us even though he's gone."

Visit meaningful locations from their life—childhood homes, favorite restaurants, or special vacation spots—and leave a button or photograph one there.

This tradition acknowledges their absence while including them in ongoing family adventures.

10. Create Holiday Ornaments

Transform memorial buttons into Christmas tree ornaments, ensuring your loved one is part of every holiday season.

**DIY memorial button ornaments:**

Purchase clear plastic or glass ornaments from craft stores. Insert the memorial button inside along with small mementos—perhaps sand from a favorite beach, dried flowers from their garden, or glitter in their favorite color.

Alternatively, attach a ribbon directly to the button's pin back to hang it on the tree. Add a date tag or small charm representing something they loved.

Some families designate specific ornaments as "memorial ornaments" that get placed in honored positions on the tree each year. Children especially appreciate this ritual, asking to place "Grandma's ornament" or "Papa's button" during tree decorating.

## Making Memorial Buttons Last

To ensure your memorial buttons remain in good condition for years:

**Store in cool, dry places** away from direct sunlight to prevent fading. Keep in small boxes or pouches to prevent scratching. Handle by the edges rather than touching the photo surface directly.

**Clean carefully** with a soft, dry cloth if needed. Never use water or cleaning solutions on memorial buttons.

**Order extras** from the start. Having 5-10 extra buttons means you can use them for future projects without worrying about running out.

At MemorialButtonsFast.com, families often reorder memorial buttons years after the original service for these creative projects. Our 20+ years of design archives mean we can recreate orders from long ago.

Memorial buttons start at just $5 each - and the price drops drastically when ordering in bulk, making it affordable to have plenty for both immediate and future use. Browse our our designs to create new buttons for upcoming memorial projects or annual remembrances.

The most meaningful memorials are the ones we interact with regularly. Memorial buttons—whether worn, displayed, or gifted—keep our loved ones present in our daily lives and family traditions.

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**About MemorialButtonsFast.com:** Family-owned since 2003, we've helped over 50,000 families create meaningful memorial tributes with our 24-hour production guarantee and hand-edited photos. Contact us or at 916-245-0163 or [browse our complete design collection](/).