A sensitive, personalized pet funeral ceremony can bring loved ones together to recall happy memories of your pet, offering a sense of closure to the grieving process. It can be held whenever your family is ready, and what you do at your service is entirely up to you. Pet memorial services often include:

• Displays of photos of your pet
• Time allotted for loved ones to say a few words to the group about what the pet meant to them
• Burial of the pet’s remains or scattering of their ashes

Creating a keepsake box of your pet’s favorite things to display in your home is a popular way to memorialize the love you shared. Common mementos to display in a memory box include:

• their collar
• their ID tags
• their favorite toys
• a favorite photo of them

Pet memorial frames let you display a photo, often with a meaningful quote or alongside a small keepsake, like a collar or an imprint of their paw. Display it in a meaningful location, like the wall above their bed, or simply in an area that feels comforting to you, like on your bedside table.

After the loss of a pet, you may feel compelled to tell the whole world about how wonderful they were. You can do just that by creating an online memorial. Online memorials provide a virtual gathering place for family and friends all over the world, which can be comforting if you’re living far from your loved ones. Check out these sites that offer online memorials:

• RainbowsBridge.com
• Critters.com
• Ever Loved

Many pet parents do this as part of their pet’s burial, but a memorial tree or plant doesn’t have to mark their final resting place. It can add extra beauty to their favorite backyard spot, a park you loved to visit together, or any other location that was meaningful to you both. Think of it as a lovely way to keep their memory alive while also giving back to the Earth. Just remember to get permission before planting anything in a public space.

If you’re like most pet parents, you probably have about a billion photos of your pet on your phone. Printing them out and creating a physical scrapbook has several benefits: It helps you process your grief by reliving all the great times you had with your pet, and you get a heartwarming keepsake to remember them for life when you’re finished.

Your pet has already made a permanent mark on your heart. Why not honor that bond with a permanent mark on your skin? Tattoos aren’t for everyone, of course, but plenty of pet parents choose to commemorate their pet’s life by inking their name or likeness onto their own body. Some tattoo artists will even mix your pet’s ashes into the ink, so you’ll literally have a part of them with you wherever you go.

You’ve probably heard of people making bucket lists for their pets, where they do special activities as part of their end-of-life plans before a pet dies. But many pet parents also find gratitude lists to be helpful after their pet has passed.

In this exercise, you make a list of the things you did together with your pet. It can help you realize just how full your pet’s life was—and whenever you’re missing them, you can read through the list to remember the good times.

Many pet parents post an obituary to their Facebook, Instagram or other accounts, with photos of their pet and a few words about what they’ve meant to them. It’s a healthy way to express your grief, and it also has another, more practical benefit: It’s a lot easier to make one social media post than to call all your friends individually to tell them about the loss.

Plus, it can help you feel less alone. After all, you’re not likely to get a sympathy card from all your friends in the mail, but you’ll probably get a comment expressing their sympathy or sharing a memory about your pet from them online.

Save your pet’s sweet paw prints for posterity by using an ink pad or impression kit. You can frame and display the results, or just tuck them into your purse or wallet to carry them with you throughout the day.

If your pet was the outdoorsy type, a garden stone might be the most appropriate way to honor their memory. These can be personalized with your pet’s name, a meaningful quote and even their photo, so you’ll think of them every time you walk by.

For some pet parents, keeping their pet’s memory close to their heart means wearing a memorial necklace. These can be as simple as a pendant that reflects their breed or fur color, or as deeply personal as a custom metal replica of their nose on a chain. Some pet parents opt for a piece of cremation jewelry, like this locket made to carry some of your pet’s ashes inside it.

Donating to a shelter or rescue organization is a memorial that has life-saving impact. If your pet was a rescue themselves, giving back to the organization where you adopted them might be an especially meaningful gesture. Alternately, find a shelter or rescue in your area and make a monetary donation, or send them the products they need using their Chewy Wish List.

The inscription on these memorial wind chimes says it best: “Every time the wind blows, I think of you.” Hang chimes on your porch or balcony and remember your pet each time you hear their music.

Here’s a great way to honor your pet and support the arts at the same time: Search Etsy or Instagram hashtags like #petportraitartist to find an artist whose work you love. Then, ask them to capture your pet’s essence on the canvas (or watercolor paper, or digital file, or any other medium). You’ll end up with a work of art that’s one of a kind, just like your pet.

If you’re feeling like you need to keep a physical part of your pet near you, consider keeping a bit of their hair in a small keepsake container. Glass bottles etched with a pet’s name and sometimes adorned with a charm are popular on Etsy.

Did you know there are felt artists out there who can create a miniature sculpture of your pet using their own fur? You’d be surprised at how expressive and lifelike they can be. If your pet’s fur was one of your favorite traits of theirs, this may be a unique tribute.

Your pet lit up the room, so why not memorialize them with a candle that does the same? Lighting a candle can have a calming, soothing effect on your psyche, and it can be a great reminder to relax and reflect on the good times with your furry bestie. Just remember to choose a pet-safe candle if you have other pets in your home.

A keychain personalized with your cat or dog’s name, likeness, or even just a simple paw print can be an easy and comforting way to carry them with you all day long. Some memorial keychains are even designed to hold a small amount of your pet’s ashes.

The holidays are a time for traditions that last a lifetime. Why not start a new tradition this year: remembering your beloved pet? A personalized ornament can turn decorating your Christmas tree into a meaningful moment to share with the whole family.