It’s been a year this week since my mother passed and next month will be a year for my father’s passing as well. I can’t believe it’s already a year and the pain is still beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I miss them every day, the words I never said, the time I won’t get back. Loosing the people you love is an emotional pain that triggers a real physical pain and it cuts deeply for me because they adopted me when they were stationed overseas in the military, so I truly felt special and absolutely grateful for them. The funny thing is, I have been seeing cardinals a lot lately during times of struggle or uncertainty and even thinking about them. I never thought of this bird until the loss of my parents and realized it’s significance. Then, this week, the week of my mother’s passing, I received this product as one of my Amazon reviews (I’m an official Google Maps and Amazon Product Reviewer so I have a quota to meet with reviews). It was almost as if my parents were telling me that everything was going to be ok and that they were so proud of me. I’m afraid of the dark, always have been, so the lantern was a way for them to guide me, the poem that came with it and the saying etched on the side were subtle reminders of their presence still held in my heart, and the cardinal, well, it was that significance of a loved one stopping by to check in on me.

The product itself is plastic, light weight, and a bit flimsy. In fact, when I opened it, it was tightly packed in a nice cushioned foam, but a little too tight that trying to get it out popped the top ring off. It was bound to happen with it’s delicate plastic molding, even the windows around it are plastic and they will pop off if you push on them. The candle flame is a light piece of plastic that slightly sways to give it a little flickering effect and the candle base itself is a typical popular fake window candle. It does come with a beautiful poem, which was very heartfelt and a worthy sympathy card. Three AAA batteries are required and are inserted at the bottom of the product located next to the on and off switch. You can also insert a small screw in the battery lid so the batteries stays intact and they don’t slide around if the lantern is hit. The part I like most about this is the remote control panel. I’m only 4’8″ but I wanted to place it on a top shelf that was out of reach for me to turn on and off each night. However, the remote panel allows me to set a 2h-8h timer, brighten or dim the candle light, give it a light or a candle effect, and turn it off and on!

If you’re looking for an affordable and heartfelt sympathy gift or even as a reminder for your own loved ones who have passed, this is a great product that is worthy of the sentiment. However, if you are seeking something more elegant and classy for an upscale gift, this may not be the product for you. While it’s practical, it’s certainly not refined but I would highly recommend this Memorial Lantern. Check out my review video …