If you're choosing a photo and a few lines for a memorial card, you're probably doing it on top of everything else this week. It can feel like a lot to carry.
Memorial cards (called signets in Quebec) are small printed cards with a photo of the person, their name and dates, and a short text. That text can be a prayer, a few lines they loved, or a thank-you from the family. You hand them out at the funeral or the gathering, or mail them to people who couldn't come.
A direct cremation doesn't come with a funeral package that includes them. Cleo doesn't print memorial cards either, so you order them yourself from a print shop or an online printer, once you know the date. Here's what goes on one, what to write, where to print it in Ontario and Quebec, and how it works when there's no service at all.
Memorial cards at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A small keepsake card with a photo, name, dates and a short text |
| What's it called? | Memorial card or prayer card in Ontario; signet in Quebec |
| Who makes it? | An online printer, a print centre, a local printer, or you, from a template |
| How many? | The number of people you expect, plus some to mail |
| When to order? | Once the date of the gathering is set; online orders need about a week |
| Do you need one? | No. It's a choice, and many families skip it |
Memorial card, prayer card, signet: what's the difference?
These names cover a few related things, and families often use them interchangeably. Here's how they usually differ.
| Name | Where you'll hear it | What's on it |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial card | Across Canada | A photo, name, dates and a short text |
| Prayer card | Often in Catholic families | A religious image on the front, with a prayer on the back |
| Signet (signet funéraire) | Quebec | Long and narrow like a bookmark (that's what signet means), with a photo on the front and text on the back |
| Funeral program | At a service with an order of events | A folded sheet listing readings, music and speakers |
A sympathy card is something else: it's the card friends send to the family. A memorial card goes the other way, from the family to the people who came.
Not sure what to do next? You can talk it through with a real person, no pressure — (438) 817-1770
What goes on a memorial card, in order
Most memorial cards follow the same order, which helps when you're too tired to decide everything from scratch.
- Front: a photo of your loved one, or a religious image for a prayer card
- Back, top: their full name, as people knew it (a nickname can go in quotation marks)
- Dates: date of birth and the date they passed away, sometimes with the place
- The text: a prayer, a short poem, a line they often said, or a few words of your own
- Optional: a short thank-you from the family
- Optional: a QR code that opens the online obituary, which some printers can add
Choosing the photo
Choose a photo where they look like themselves, not necessarily the most formal one. A clear face matters more than a perfect background. A scan of a printed photo works.
Online printers send you a proof to approve before anything is printed. Urnes Dépôt, a Quebec online printer, includes up to two rounds of corrections after the proof, and charges for retouching when a photo is blurry or damaged. Read the proof slowly, or ask someone else to: names and dates are the easiest things to miss.
What to write on a memorial card: examples
You don't need to be a writer. On a memorial card, write their name and dates, then two to six short lines: a prayer, a thank-you from the family, or a few words in your own voice. It only has to sound like the person, or like your family.
A prayer
For a religious family, a traditional prayer is the most common choice: the Our Father, the Hail Mary, or Psalm 23 ("The Lord is my shepherd"). If you'd like help choosing words for the day itself, see prayers with a direct cremation.
A thank-you from the family
A thank-you line suits any family, religious or not:
> "Our family thanks you for your kindness and for being with us."
Your own words
A few lines in your own voice often mean the most. Some examples you can adapt:
> "She loved her garden, her grandchildren and a good mystery novel. Thank you for remembering her with us."
> "Thank you for the Sunday dinners, the long drives and every bit of advice we didn't take."
> "Forever in our hearts, and still in every room he fixed."
If someone is giving a eulogy, one line from it often works on the card too. Our guide to writing a eulogy has examples. If you'd like to use a poem, check who wrote it: a modern poem may still be under copyright.
Where to print memorial cards in Ontario and Quebec
There are five usual places to print them. Each one trades speed, price and choice a little differently.
| Option | What you get | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Online printer that specializes in memorial cards or signets | Templates, a text bank, a proof before printing | Total price for your quantity, delivery time |
| Print centre (Staples in Ontario, Bureau en Gros in Quebec) | Printing from your own file or a template | Paper, finish, whether you can pick up the same week |
| Local independent printer | A person to talk to, and help with the layout | Their lead time and smallest run |
| Make your own | A free online template, printed at home or at a print shop | Card weight and colour quality |
| Funeral home | Cards ordered with a funeral service | The price of that line on the quote |
If a funeral home prints them, they appear as their own line. In Quebec, a funeral contract signed after a death must list each item and service with its own price. In Ontario, a funeral business must give you its price list free of charge when you ask (O. Reg. 30/11, s. 68).
In Quebec: signets
In Quebec, specialized printers sell signets online, with a photo, your text, and a choice of regular or laminated card. As an example of current prices, Urnes Dépôt lists 25 signets at $84.99, 100 at $159.99 and 200 at $229.99 (November 2026). Regular and laminated card both work; laminated is sturdier if people keep the signet in a book.
In Ontario: memorial cards, prayer cards and programs
In Ontario you'll mostly see memorial cards and prayer cards for the funeral, plus a funeral program when there's a service with readings and music. Ontario print centres and online printers carry memorial and prayer card templates, and sizes vary by printer (see the FAQ below).
How many to order, and when
Count the people you expect, then add some for those who can't come and for family who'll want to keep a few. Online printers sell in runs, starting at 25 at Urnes Dépôt.
For an online order, leave about a week: a day or two to approve the proof, then delivery. Urnes Dépôt lists 4 to 5 business days by Canada Post, or 1 to 2 days expedited. A local printer may be faster, so ask when you order.
Memorial cards when there's no funeral service
With a direct cremation, the cremation happens first and there's no service on a fixed date. That gives you time. Many families hold a gathering weeks later, at home, in a hall or at a favourite restaurant, and hand out the cards there.
You can also:
- Mail a card with a short note to people who live far away or couldn't come
- Send a photo of the card by email or text to relatives abroad
- Keep a few at home, near the urn or in a family album
- Print them later, on a date that matters, like a birthday or the first anniversary
If you're announcing a gathering, our guide to funeral announcement wording can help with the invitation. If you're also writing the online obituary that a QR code could open, see our obituary examples.
What Cleo does is the cremation itself, at a fixed, all-inclusive price: transportation, the cremation, and the ashes returned to you. We stay on for months after, helping with paperwork and government benefits, so those aren't one more thing on your list.
Questions families ask
Frequently asked questions
Do you need memorial cards?
No. Memorial cards are a choice, not a requirement, and many families skip them. Some families realize after the cremation that they'd like them after all, and that's fine: you can print them for a gathering weeks or months later, or mail them with a note to people who couldn't come.
Can I make memorial cards myself?
Yes. Free online templates let you add a photo and text, then print at home or send the file to a print shop. Several online signet printers also have a design tool. Print on heavy card stock if you can, and ask someone to proofread names and dates before you print the full run.
What size is a memorial card?
There's no single standard size. In Quebec, a signet is long and narrow like a bookmark. In Ontario, memorial and prayer cards are often closer to a wallet photo: Printfast in Toronto prints its memorial prayer cards at 3 × 4 inches (7.6 × 10.2 cm). Ask your printer for its sizes before you design.
Does Cleo make memorial cards?
No. Cleo, a direct-cremation provider in Ontario and Quebec, doesn't print memorial cards or signets and has no preferred printer. Any print shop, print centre or online printer can make them from the photo and text you choose. Families usually go to an online signet printer, a Staples or Bureau en Gros print centre, or a local printer.
Take the time you need
A memorial card doesn't have to be ready in the first few days. With a direct cremation, you can choose the photo and the words when you're ready, and print them for the day your family gathers.
If you have questions about the cremation itself, or about what happens next, a real person answers 24/7, in English or French.
(438) 817-1770