Memorial Dove Tree

Christmas Memorial Dove Tree

MacKinnon Family Funeral Home

“Shoemaker Chapel”

Margaret and Bob purchased the funeral home in October of 1999.  In those first few months, they realized that with Christmas fast approaching, there were a lot of families facing their first Christmas without their loved one.  Recognizing that the Christmas Season can be a difficult time for the bereaved, they wanted to reach out to the community and let them know that they were not alone, and their loved one was not forgotten.

Here at the MacKinnon Family Funeral Home, we placed a 10' fir tree in our Bereavement Centre and decorated it with beautiful white feathered doves.  We invited everyone in the community to come and take a dove in memory of their loved one(s) and replace it with a card bearing the name of the loved one(s) they were honouring.  The dove, which is a symbol of peace, then becomes a part of a Christmas memorial for their own tree or holiday centrepiece.

Therefore, on December 1st of every year, until Christmas eve (December 24th) everywho who has experienced the loss of a loved one -- friend or family member -- is invited to drop by the funeral home and participate in this complimentary tradition.

As you can see from the picture below, many of you came by to get a dove in memory of a loved one (each card represents a dove that was taken).  We hope it was a meaningful experience for you.