I have a group of students who have experienced the death of an immediate family member so for the holidays we make memory trees to honor their loved one. I buy miniature trees at the craft store and the students cover them with symbols representing their family member. I purchase small wooden pieces such as flags, teddy bears, musical instruments, athletic symbols, etc. The students use these to decorate their tree or they make their own ornaments. They create an explanation of their tree and in whose memory it's made on a 2 x 2 card. In our school we have about twenty students affected by the loss of a family member. Their memory trees are displayed in our hallway showcase.