“For thousands of years, people have held festivals of light. Some of these festivals help brighten winter. Others welcome spring. Lights are kindled to honor the dead and to celebrate birth. Throughout the year, lights shine on special days.” — Nancy Luenn, Celebrations of Light
Associate Program Director, Youth & Community Outreach, Colleen Shannon shares an activity for families during these winter months when the days are dark with pandemic weight and the evenings long. Light is incorporated into celebrations and recognitions worldwide, from birthday candles to holiday celebrations. Light marks something special, something to be celebrated and remembered.
Creating a memory luminary can be done by a child or the entire family to remember a special person who died. For a child, the lantern can sit by their bed, and they can choose when to turn it on to remember their person. Perhaps it is put in the window on a special night of remembrance as a family. If desired, consider purchasing “Celebrations of Light” by Nancy Luenn, a child-friendly book describing celebrations from around the world.
Materials
- 1-2 sheets of vellum, which is widely available wherever printer paper is sold
- Scissors
- Markers, Sharpies work very well on vellum, but any marker will do
- Small battery candle
- Tape (double-sided is great, but regular is fine) or glue dots
Optional
Shape punches
Specialty scissors
Stickers
Create
Begin the activity by discussing the special day that you want to celebrate. Introduce the idea that light and candles are sometimes used to recognize special events. If you have purchased “Celebrations of Light,” let your child select a few pages to read aloud. Ask if there is any celebration they can think of that is recognized with lights or candles. For example, a birthday or holiday. Share that you will make your lantern or luminary to recognize/remember the person who died.
- Gather all your materials. Consider placing newspaper on the table if using Sharpies to prevent any permanent stains.
- Decorate the vellum by drawing or writing memories, feelings, names, or messages.
- Connect the two ends of the vellum to form a tube and use tape or glue dots to secure.
- Turn on the battery candle and place the luminary over the candle.
The candle will illuminate the memories, feelings, and messages that have been created for the person who died.
