In Lieu of Flowers, West Des Moines

When In Lieu of Flowers owner Kara Jund's parents passed away, she found solace in a remembrance lamp. "It was the single most helpful and meaningful gift I received. It gives back to you—it gives off this glow and warmth."

Now, Jund strives to provide similar solace for others with her collection of handcrafted remembrance lamps. She selects each design based on its symbolic meaning. Butterflies symbolize celebration, for instance, and hummingbirds symbolize resurrection. She's happy to draw upon her knowledge to guide newcomers around the shop. "If people come in and need to have their hands held, we’ll go through everything—symbolism, style, and color."

Once customers have honed in on their ideal lamp, Jund will carefully gift-wrap it and include a personalized card that highlights the lamp's symbolic meaning. "I tie the spirit of the light with the spirit of the person who passed away. Then people understand, and they can tie that warmth with the spirit of the person they're grieving."