A holiday remembrance kit is a funeral home’s keepsake set for families served that year. A typical kit holds a memorial ornament, a keepsake candle, and a printed program. Families carry the kit home in a branded tote, such as The Plaid Tote. Hilton Funeral Supply carries every piece of the kit.

A funeral home holiday remembrance kit should include four items. A memorial ornament gives the family a keepsake for the tree. A personalized keepsake candle carries the decedent’s name and a winter theme. A printed remembrance program lists the names read at the service. A branded tote, such as Hilton Funeral Supply’s Plaid Tote, carries the kit home. Funeral homes typically present the kits at a holiday remembrance program in late November or December.

A holiday remembrance program is a service for families a funeral home served that year. Funeral homes also call it a holiday service of remembrance or a candlelight service. Most programs take place in late November or December. Staff read the names of the deceased aloud. Families often place an ornament on a remembrance tree or light a candle. A reception with refreshments usually follows.

A holiday remembrance program is a form of aftercare, not a sales event. The program keeps the funeral home connected to families after the funeral arrangements are complete. Each family leaves with a holiday remembrance kit.

A holiday remembrance kit needs four parts: tree keepsake, home keepsake, printed record, and carrier. Hilton Funeral Supply carries each component of a holiday remembrance kit.

Memory Ornaments for Holiday Remembrance Kits

A memory ornament is the center of most holiday remembrance kits. Families hang the memory ornament on their own tree each year. Many funeral homes also place a matching ornament on a remembrance tree during the program.

Hilton Funeral Supply carries personalized Memory Ornaments in nine styles and four materials.

Check each Memory Ornament product page for personalization options before ordering.

Best for: Funeral homes that hold an ornament placement or tree lighting during the program.

Why it works: The memory ornament returns to the family’s tree every December. The name is remembered each season the tree goes up.

Personalized Keepsake Candles for Funeral Homes

Hilton Funeral Supply’s Shared Memories Keepsake Candles ship as a print-in-house kit. Each case of Shared Memories Keepsake Candles includes the following items.

• 12 unscented paraffin pillar candles

• 12 glass cylinders, each 3⅜ inches in diameter and 6 inches high

• 15 printer-friendly adhesive labels, three more than needed

Shared Memories Keepsake Candle labels come in three finishes.

• Matte finish: works with all printers

• Satin gloss finish: works with most laser printers

• Premium photo finish: works with most inkjet printers

Staff personalize each keepsake candle label through Shared Memories Print Pro, Hilton’s free template program. Shared Memories Print Pro offers over 160 templated themes. Several Shared Memories keepsake candle themes suit the holiday season.

• Winter themes: Poinsettia, Winter Cardinal, Winter Snow, Winter Fence, and Winter Sunset

• Cardinal themes: Cardinal Comfort and Country Cardinal

• Photo themes: blue, cream, green, and purple photo layouts

Staff edit the Word template with the decedent’s name and dates, then print the label.

Best for: Every family on the program list, including families unable to attend.

Why it works: The keepsake candle carries the decedent’s name into the home. The candle gives the family a private way to mark the holiday.

Tote Bags for Holiday Remembrance Kits

The Plaid Tote is Hilton Funeral Supply’s holiday tote for remembrance kits. Hilton describes The Plaid Tote as a holiday giveaway option. The Plaid Tote has the following specifications.

• Dimensions: 9¼ inches wide, 11¾ inches high, and 4½ inches deep

• Material: 80-gram laminated non-woven fabric with a water-resistant coating

• Bag colors: red, blue, green, or gray

• Imprint area: 6 by 6 inches

• Imprint colors: 11 options, including metallic gold and metallic silver

• Minimum order: 150 bags

Best for: Funeral homes presenting kits at a reception or delivering kits to homes.

Why it works: The Plaid Tote keeps the funeral home’s name in the household. The Plaid Tote is sized for families to carry small items.

Conner Patten, Customer Outreach Specialist, Hilton Funeral Supply

Hilton’s guide to choosing funeral home tote bags compares other styles. The full funeral promo bag selection is online.

How to Print a Holiday Remembrance Program

A printed remembrance program lists the names read at the holiday service. Funeral homes can print remembrance programs in-house with Shared Memories Print Pro templates. Staff print on Hilton blank paper stock using the funeral home’s own printer.

• One-page program: Blank bulletins

• Longer program with a reading and reception note: Blank trifold bulletins

• Second keepsake with the decedent’s name: Blank 4-up bookmarks

Best for: Programs that read every name aloud.

Why it works: The printed remembrance program becomes a record of the evening. Families can keep the program with the prayer card from the funeral.

Hilton’s guide to good value funeral stationery covers the full everyday line.

What Else Can Go in a Holiday Remembrance Kit?

Hilton Funeral Supply carries several optional items for holiday remembrance kits.

• Tissue packs: The Full Color Traditional Tissue Pack serves guests during the reading of names.

• Seed cards: Dove Wildflower Seed Cards give families something to plant in the spring.

• Children’s items: The Losing A Loved One coloring book gives children a quiet activity.

• Winter items: The Credit Card Ice Scraper suits programs held in northern states.

• Reception supplies: 8 oz paper cups and white luncheon napkins serve the refreshment table.

Hilton’s guide to promotional products inside the funeral home covers year-round placement.

Hilton Funeral Supply’s Hilton Hospitality Standard evaluates family-facing products on four criteria: Placement, Relevance, Visibility, and Keep-and-Use.

The Hilton Hospitality Standard is Hilton Funeral Supply’s own internal evaluation framework. The Hilton Hospitality Standard is not a regulatory or professional association standard.

Planning a holiday remembrance program takes six steps.

Step 1: Build the family list. Pull every family served in the past 12 months. Include cremation families who held no formal service.

Step 2: Set the date. Many funeral homes choose a Sunday afternoon or weekday evening.

Step 3: Send invitations. Mail an invitation to every family on the list. Ask each family to confirm the spelling of the name to be read.

Step 4: Personalize the keepsakes. Print each keepsake candle label with the decedent’s name and dates. Print the program with every name in reading order.

Step 5: Assemble the kits. Pack each ornament, keepsake candle, and program into a tote. Label each tote with the family name.

Step 6: Prepare the reception. Set refreshments, cups, and napkins in the chapel or lounge.

Funeral homes should order holiday remembrance supplies by early November for a December program. Imprinted items such as The Plaid Tote need the funeral home’s logo artwork before production. Order memory ornaments and keepsake candles together, so every kit is complete.

This holiday remembrance program timeline fits a program held in early December.

Call Hilton Funeral Supply at 1-800-433-8878 to confirm current production times.

Funeral homes should order one kit per family served in the past year, plus extras. Some families request more than one ornament for separate households. Extra kits also cover families who join the program late.

The Plaid Tote minimum of 150 bags fits funeral homes serving about 150 families a year. Smaller funeral homes can order the minimum and use extra totes as everyday family bags.

Shared Memories Keepsake Candles ship 12 per case. Thirteen cases cover 150 kits and leave six spare candles.

The National Funeral Directors Association projected the 2025 U.S. cremation rate at 63.4%, against 31.6% for burial. Some cremation families hold no gathering at all. A holiday remembrance program gives those families a place to hear the name read aloud. The program also brings cremation families back to the funeral home that served them.

Can keepsake candles include a photo of the person who passed?

Yes, several Shared Memories Print Pro candle templates include a photo layout. Photo templates come in blue, cream, green, and purple. Staff insert the photo, name, and dates into the Word template and print the label. For photo labels, choose the premium photo finish and an inkjet printer. Shared Memories Print Pro templates are free to use.

Can a funeral home livestream a holiday remembrance program?

Yes, a funeral home can livestream a holiday remembrance program for out-of-town families. Use the same webcasting setup the funeral home uses for services. Mail or deliver the holiday remembrance kit to remote families before the program. Read each name slowly, so remote viewers can follow along with the printed program.

What if a family cannot attend the holiday remembrance program?

Offer the family a pickup time or deliver the holiday remembrance kit to the home. Some funeral homes post pickup hours at each location for the week after the program. Include the printed program, so the family sees the name was read. A short handwritten note from the director adds a personal touch.

Is a holiday remembrance program appropriate for families of all faiths?

Yes, a nondenominational holiday remembrance program suits families of all faiths. Many funeral homes call it a service of remembrance rather than a Christmas service. Offer a reading of names and a moment of candlelight without a required prayer. Families can add their own faith practices at home with the keepsake candle.

How far ahead should we send holiday remembrance invitations?

Send holiday remembrance invitations about four to six weeks before the program. That window gives families time to plan travel and arrange time off. It also gives staff time to confirm name spellings before printing. For an early December program, invitations should go out by late October.

What should a holiday remembrance program say?

A holiday remembrance program should list each decedent’s full name in reading order. Add the date, the funeral home’s name, and a short reading. Use a reading in the public domain or one written by staff. Include a line inviting families to the reception. Keep the layout simple, so each family can find the name quickly.

Do funeral homes charge families for holiday remembrance kits?

Funeral homes typically give the holiday remembrance kit at no charge as part of aftercare. The kit thanks the family for trusting the funeral home with the funeral arrangements. Some funeral homes offer additional ornaments to families who want one for each household. The kit is a marketing and aftercare expense, not a family charge.