There is a place where our dearly departed remain alive for as long as we want them to; and that's in our memory. In the words of George Eliot, "Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."

If you are in Australia, the rest of this article will describe to you 10 ways in which you can keep the memory of a deceased loved one alive, long after they've passed on.

(H3) What is a Death Anniversary?

A death anniversary marks the day someone (in this case, a loved one) died. For some people, death anniversaries are marked with meditations, prayers and deep reflections. For others, it is a life celebration involving certain activities that make them feel closer to their dearly departed.

Most people find that this day brings up feelings of sadness and grief as they have to relive the death of their loved ones. Here are some things to consider doing in order to cope;

• Visit the deceased's final resting place.

• Write a letter expressing your thoughts and feelings.

• Donate to a cause the deceased cared about.

• Organize a memorial service.

• Dedicate time to their favorite things - cook their favorite meal, watch their favorite movie or listen to their favorite playlist.

• Spend time with friends and family.

(H3) 10 Memorial Keepsake Ideas to Mark your Loved One's Death Anniversary

1. Plant a Memorial Tree

Planting a memorial tree with a portion of their ashes is a great way to keep a departed loved one in mind. If well taken care of, your kids, grandchildren, and even their children can still remember the loved one the tree memorializes.

If you want to plant a tree on public or private land in Australia, you must get permission first.

2. Create a Photo Memory Book​

A photo memory book is another memorial keepsake that is quite popular in Australia. All you have to do is ask the departed's friends and family to send you copies of photos they have of the person in question.

Once that's done, you can print them and create a photo memory book that covers the life span of the departed person.

3. Commission a Memorial Garden Stone

You could also keep the memory of a loved one alive for as long as possible with a memorial garden stone. Memorial garden stones come in different shapes, sizes and materials and you could even inscribe verses of remembrance that inspire great memories.

4. Dedicate a Memorial Bench to their Memory

Memorial benches are popular across public grounds in Australia. They come with a small memorial plaque and an inscription. You could design your loved one's memorial bench to have their names, life dates and some verses to remember them by.

5. Create a Memorial Lantern/Candle

A memorial lantern/candle will also keep your loved ones in mind daily. They are often made of plastic, metal and wood and make excellent, long-lasting gifts. Better still, they come in multiple shapes and sizes.

6. Commission an Art Piece of Them

Another memorial keepsake quite popular in Australia is the commissioned memorial art piece. It allows you to eternalize how you'd want to remember your loved one.

7. Create Memorial Cufflinks

This is another excellent and stylish way to remember a loved one in Australia. And that's because this keepsake could be designed to contain hair or ashes. So you'd carry a piece of your departed loved one wherever you go.

8. Create a Memorial Throw Pillow and/or Blanket

Many people in Australia also use a memorial throw pillow or blankets as a keepsake for remembering their loved ones. These kinds of keepsakes are made using clothing owned by one's loved ones. Instead of disposing of their clothes upon their passing, you could make throw pillows or blankets that keep them on your mind.

9. Create Memorial Jewelry for the Family

You could also create memorial jewellery as a keepsake. These keepsakes can hold a small portion of cremains, burial soil, memorial flowers, ashes or even small lockets of hair.

It is popular in Australia and has a history that dates back to the 19th century. It is another stylish keepsake that could easily fit into your wardrobe as it can take the form of charm bracelets or classy lockets.

10. Create a Diamond from Their Ashes in Australia

Memorial diamonds are grown in a controlled lab environment

Naturally occurring diamonds are mined from the earth's surface and are believed to be some of the hardest materials on earth. They have great sentimental and ornamental value and were first found in India. In ancient Hindu culture, these precious "stones" were perceived to indicate the eyes of important deity statues to be worshipped and revered.

Memorial diamonds are also real diamonds. The difference is that they are formed in controlled lab environments and take much less time to create than their natural counterparts.

When you get a diamond from ashes of your loved one, in a sense, that person is reborn as a precious stone with great beauty and power.

(H3) How to Order Memorial Diamonds from Ashes in Australia

Here are the steps to take when ordering memorial diamonds from ashes in Australia

1. Find a Credible Vendor in Australia

There are a lot of vendors that deal in memorial diamonds from ashes in Australia. So it is crucial to do your due diligence when dealing with vendors. That way, you can avoid scams that ruin the emotional value of such an important product.

2. Contact Them and Ask About Their Diamond Making Process and Prices

Part of vetting vendors that deal in memorial diamonds from ashes in Australia is to ask as many questions as possible about their process of creating diamonds from ashes. You also want to find out the total cost of the products and what the cost covers.

Memorial diamonds from ashes range from A$ 3,200 (lowest price - for a 0.25 carat naturally amber diamond) to A$ 58,000 (highest price - for a 3 carat purely colorless diamond)

3. Submit Your Order Information

Some vendors will have a contract for you to sign at this step so that everything is legitimized in the eyes of the law, and also for your assurance.

4. Submit Your Carbon Source (Hair and/or Ashes)

Here's where you submit the hair and/ashes to be used as the carbon source in the process of growing the memorial diamond. It is important that you strictly follow the instructions on the ashes submission kit provided by your vendor.

5. Next Steps

It takes a while to create diamonds from ashes. Depending on the technology used, it might take 3 to 6 months. Be sure to find out if the vendor has a provision for order tracking. This allows you to follow up on the process regardless of your location.

Memorial keepsakes can help you mark a loved one's death anniversary in a way that keeps them close to your heart and in your memory. Each of the ideas described above is quite unique, and you could use any of them or a combination of several to ensure that your loved ones never die, even if they might have passed on. Memorial diamonds from ashes might be one of the best ways to honour and revere the memory of a departed loved one.