Losing a mother is very diffcult, and Mother’s Day can bring up a mix of feelings. One meaningful way to honor a mother’s memory is through a personalized keepsake candle. Incorporating a memorial candle in self-care rituals after experiencing a loss can help the healing journey. This blog will discuss the benefits of keepsake candles for grief, personalization and customization options for candles from laurelbox, and how to refill a Mother’s Day candle after it has burnt.

It seems like the Easter bunny has barely hopped away and stores are in full Mother’s Day mode. I’m getting Mother’s Day themed gift ads on my social media feeds, restaurant deals via my inbox and let’s not even mention the greeting card section at the grocery store. Those marketing tools may not phase you unless you are one of the millions of Americans who have lost a mother. Census data collected in 2021 showed that 17% of the US population had lost their mother by age 30. That’s almost 1 in 5. The percentage jumped to 50% by the age of 50. That means if this Mother’s Day you are without your mom, there are approximately 84 million other women carrying similar grief! Obviously, that doesn’t make it any easier when the second weekend in May rolls around. So let’s get into some ideas that could provide comfort and honor her memory on that day. 

Just like with any holiday or special day, how you mark it is completely up to you. Mother’s Day after losing your mom may look different each year. When the grief is fresh and acute, you may want to spend the entire day sitting in her memories. That could look like visiting her gravestone, wearing her favorite sweater, going through old photos, crying in your bed, and posting your favorite videos of her. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you might want to just boycott the entire day. That schedule could look something like sleeping late, binge watching the newest season of Reacher, going to the movies (because all your friends are obviously celebrating with their moms *insert eyeroll and sigh*) and ordering copious amounts of sushi. And that’s okay too. Give yourself grace to grieve on your timeline and in your own way. Now I will preface this next part with the caveat that I haven’t lost my mom. I don’t know yet how to carry that type of grief. But I have lost babies and my father so please know this next piece of unsolicited advice comes from a place of love and empathy. If you go the boycott route, I would suggest acknowledging your mom in some way around the holiday. That could be the week before or a few weeks after, but accepting Mother’s Day is a reality and acknowledging that day will forever be changed is a step forward in your healing journey. 

One small meaningful way to honor your mother’s life without a big production is the simple act of lighting a personalized memorial candle. The women behind Laurelbox pour their heart and soul into each box that leaves their boutique operation in Ohio because they have walked through grief themselves and have supported friends and family carrying loss. They constantly look for new and unique ways to offer hope and healing in this grief gift space and one of those is through their variety of custom keepsake candles. They currently offer over 20 beautiful keepsake candles, many of which could be personalized with your mother’s name. There is something unique about striking a match, seeing the wick catch fire, and watching the flame flicker. In that moment, their memory seems just a bit closer, their presence can be felt in a stronger way. Use that time to reflect on her life, her impact on you, and how you will keep her memory alive by telling stories and sharing her passions. 

The great thing about a Laurelbox custom memorial candle is that they can be reused year after year. You’ll never have to hesitate lighting a memorial candle because you are worried it will run out. Once you’ve burned through your custom memorial candle remove the wick clip and follow directions on the kit to refill your candle. All laurelbox custom candles fit our replacement kits so no need to worry about sizing. However, you should consider which scent you would like. Our current offerings include:

• Citrus + Fruits:  Fragrance notes include orange and lemon peel with finishing aromas of grapefruit, mandarine, tangerine, lime and peach. Similar in fragrance to the well loved Volcano scent.
• Unscented: A popular choice for those who prefer a non scented candle.
• Redwood + Birch: Fragrance notes include natural botanicals, juniper, and cypress. This fragrance is also infused with natural essential oils, including cedarwood, patchouli, cypress, geranium, and mint.
• Oakmoss + Amber:  Fragrance notes include oakmoss and amber with notes of tonka, lavender, orange, grapefruit, and sage. 
• Moonflower Nectar: Fragrance notes include florals and fruits with notes of pear, agave, marine, and a powdery blend of dark musk and amber.
• Sel de Mer: Fragrance notes include complex, mineral-rich sea salt, with notes of  cardamom, orange, aqua, palm, light musk, and amber.
• Solar Sands: Fragrance notes invoke a warm day on the beach. Includes a rich heart of coconut milk, warm amber, citrus palm, teakwood, salt, and dark musk.
• Fraser Fir: Fragrance notes invoke an evergreen tree, with notes of cypress, lemon peel, evergreen, and cedar. 

Each kit includes 10 ounces of 100% all-natural soy wax. Made exclusively for laurelbox in small hand poured batches, the eco-friendly refill kit provides you with the comfort of a clean burn. It contains no additives or dyes, is made from the finest premium grade essential and fragrance oils, and features a wick made with all-natural ring-spun cotton that contains no lead, zinc, or any other metals. Don’t forget to add some beautiful and thoughtful matches like “Their Light Remains” or “Light in Dark Places” matches. 

I hope this blog provides comfort if you are missing your mom this Mother’s Day, or if you are supporting someone grieving the loss of their mother. No matter how you choose to mark Mother’s Day, we hope you will consider incorporating a Mother’s Day candle as part of your experience. Remember to create space for you to grieve and honor her life in whatever way looks best for you, at this stage in your grief journey.