Advice, guides & articles

In 2022, we welcomed more than 12.6 million unique users* to funeral-notices.co.uk - that's almost 20% of the adult population of the UK, or 1 in 5. A very strong and growing audience for what is one of the saddest, yet most important, announcements we will ever have to make. In addition to this we recorded more than 236.5 million page views over 33.9 million sessions. Notices were shared on social media over 91,800 times - helping families collect memories on their notices that will last forever. Over the year, more than 60 thousand photos and videos were added to tribute pages, more than 191 thousand tributes added and over 161 thousand virtual candles lit in memory - an amazing number of interactions. If you contributed to these numbers, thank you very much. Families love to see tributes and memories shared on their notices.

In 2022, 111 different blogs were published here on funeral-notices.co.uk, taking our total to over 270 articles since we launched. We have more visitors than ever coming to our blogs, and so we thought it would be fun to countdown the ten most popular articles in 2022*. 10. How does the Winter Solstice tie into Christmas What is the winter solstice? When is the winter solstice? You’ll find the answers to these questions and more here! Read the article here 9. How to cope with the loss of a loved one at Christmas An article that obviously resonated with many users of funeral-notices.co.uk at such a difficult time of year, and we sincerely hope that you found it helpful in some way. Read the article here 8. Make your final resting place a unique one at The Lost Village of Dode An interesting one in which we learned about the Holly Barrow in the Lost Village of Dode. You don’t know what a Barrow is? Then make sure you have a read and find out! Read the article here 7. Is it a legal requirement to put a death notice in the newspaper? Some of our articles try to answer questions that people frequently search Google for answers to, and this is one of those questions that people are still regularly pondering. Read the article here 6. The benefits of an online funeral notice We are often guilty of thinking about Funeral Notices as being something you see in a printed newspaper, but more and more we are seeing people choose to announce their loved ones passing online. This popular blog explains everything you need to know about placing an online Funeral Notice. Read the article here 5. Highlights of the Queen's Life The passing of Queen Elizabeth brought the country to a standstill, so we tried to acknowledge it by creating a few blogs on her life and work. This particular one showcased some highlights of her extraordinary life, and it proved to be very popular with our readers. Read the article here 4. Positive Vibes Only We don’t often highlight other businesses, but Positive Vibes Only struck a chord with us and it seems that they did with you too! Read the article here 3. How to view and search for a notice on funeral-notices.co.uk (video) Sometimes what people want to read is a simple ‘how to’ guide, and this one features a video that teaches you the basics of how to find a notice here on funeral-notices.co.uk. Read the article here 2. How can I find out if someone has died This blog is actually over two years old now, but it continues to be one of our most read articles as people regularly find us on Google by asking it the question ‘how can I find out if someone has died?’ Read the article here

Do you ever feel like you need a break from your usual routine? Winter's deep chill and dark nights may make it hard to get out and switch up, but in this blog we give you 7 ideas to help you make the best of a cold and dark night without ever having to leave your home!

January can be a difficult time for a lot of people, with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) being far more prevalent in winter than in summer. So how do we beat the January blues?

Physical activity has been shown to have a tremendous impact on our mental health, and this is the reason RED January was started in 2016. January can be a tough month to get through, but taking part in RED January will give you something to aim for, and a way to beat the January blues. The aim of RED January is to encourage people to support their own mental wellbeing, as well as to raise funds for Sport in Mind to help them support others. The idea is to take part in some form of physical activity every day throughout January. The activity can be anything; walking, cycling, yoga, swimming, running. It’s entirely up to you, as long as you make sure to get yourself moving.

Over the festive period, we may have found ourselves taking time to sit and reflect on those who may be less fortunate than ourselves, but I’ll bet that not a lot of us will be thinking about our furry friends. All too often animals are forgotten about or overlooked at Christmas, as we scramble to get everything ready in time for the big day. That’s why Brooke, the working Horses and Donkeys charity, shines a spotlight on donkeys over the Christmas period. After all, Donkeys are synonymous with Christmas thanks to their inclusion in the nativity.

It can often feel anti-climatic and perhaps a little sad. All that planning, organising, shopping, cooking, wrapping - done. My daughter goes to her dad's house first thing so I am guilty of feeling sad on Boxing Day. The house was full of people and noise the day before so the silence of Boxing Day morning can feel quite deafening - just me and the dog. For anyone who feels like I do, or if you want to get more from your day this Boxing Day, keep reading for a few ideas.

With Christmas only days away I realise, now that my daughter is almost thirteen and my youngest niece is nine (going on thirteen), that I haven't had to visit a single toy shop in my quest to buy Christmas presents this year. It makes me a little sad that they're growing up. As a parent I miss seeing my daughter's face as we walked into Smyths, The Entertainer or Toys R Us; shops lined with endless possibilities and wonder - what would my daughter choose this year? As a child I remember being given a catalogue: Argos, Index or Kays. We would write our list from the glossy pages of the toy section and leave them expectantly on the hearth for the elves to take to Father Christmas. Then followed weeks of excitement as we wondered which gift he would choose as our main present that year. I remember the time I got the Silver Cross Dolls Pram and a new doll for it - I named her Nicky. It was perfect and just what I wanted - what a happy memory! To help write this blog, I asked a few of my colleagues a couple of questions: - What is your favourite toy you ever received for Christmas? - Was there something you always wanted for Christmas but never received? We will explore their answers below, as well as some of the most popular Christmas toys from the past.

Christmas can be a difficult time of year for those who have lost a loved one. Families tend to come together during the holidays, making the absence of lost loved ones far more noticeable than at any other time. It can be difficult to know how to face Christmas after losing a loved one, and how your grief is going to affect you.

The winter solstice takes place a few days before Christmas each year, and the traditions and celebrations that took place on the solstice in pagan times are very similar to what we now know as Christmas traditions.