How to Write Out Your Funeral Wishes

June 6th, 2019

How to Write Out Your Funeral Wishes

In an ideal world, you will not only be financially solvent enough to plan (and pay for) your funeral and cemetery plot in advance, but you’ll also be able to leave behind a full will and estate for your loved ones. There will be no question about your last wishes, funeral arrangements or how you want your belongings to be divided. (more…)

Inexpensive Urn Ideas

May 31st, 2019

Inexpensive Urn Ideas

For some people, cremation is an eco-friendly alternative to burial that gives you more choice when it comes to memorializing your loved one. Instead of being tied to a gravesite, you can (literally) carry your deceased relatives wherever you go, and often in an elegant urn that can be placed on a mantle or otherwise displayed in your home. (more…)

Why Wasn’t I Asked to Help Plan the Funeral?

May 26th, 2019

Why Wasn’t I Asked to Help Plan the Funeral?

When a loved one dies—whether it is a parent, spouse, child, sibling, grandparent, or a close friend—it is natural to want to participate in the funeral planning process. Your relationship with the deceased was unique and special, and the best way to strengthen that bond is to be in the room where the important burial decisions are being made. (more…)

Who Should Serve as Pallbearer?

May 21st, 2019

Who Should Serve as Pallbearer?

If you are holding a traditional funeral and traditional burial, then it is likely that you’ll need pallbearers. These individuals are responsible for lifting and carrying the casket from the funeral to the hearse or burial site. The term “pallbearer” (taken from the pall, or cloth that covers a coffin) is one that carries importance in both historical and modern times. A pallbearer is usually a family member or close friend, someone who is both strong and young, and—more traditionally—someone who is male. (more…)

Guide to Facebook Obituaries

May 16th, 2019
In our age of social media, it is no longer sufficient to simply publish an obituary in the newspaper. Because so much of our time is spent online, we have friends, acquaintances, and even colleagues whose primary point of contact with us is through Facebook or social media. Publishing a Facebook obituary after the death of a relative not only gives people the closure they need, but it also ensures that your loved one’s legacy is preserved exactly the way you want it to be. (more…)

How to Ask for Help with Grief

May 11th, 2019

How to Ask for Help with Grief

If you have ever lost a loved one, chances are you’ve heard the phrase, “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do” so many times that it barely registers. (more…)

Losing a Loved One: Should I Hold a Public Viewing?

May 6th, 2019

Losing a Loved One: Should I Hold a Public Viewing?

When a loved one dies, there are many different considerations that go into funeral planning. Cremation or burial? Which cemetery to choose? What kind of casket? Who should oversee the funeral? When should we hold it? (more…)

The Most Common Funeral Planning Mistakes

May 1st, 2019

The Most Common Funeral Planning Mistakes

Planning a funeral—either for yourself or for a loved one—is not a task you tackle every day. In fact, it is the kind of task that most people encounter only a few times, each one fraught with fragile emotions, high tensions, and sweeping life changes that can knock you off your feet. (more…)

How to Support the Men You Know Who are Grieving

April 27th, 2019

How to Support the Men You Know Who are Grieving

Everybody grieves differently. Some people wear their feelings on the outside and reach out for support. Others internalize a loss and withdraw into themselves. Still others show more physical rather than emotional symptoms, which can directly impact their health over time. (more…)

Using Art for End-of-Life Planning

April 27th, 2019

Using Art for End-of-Life Planning

Sitting down with your loved ones and having a frank discussion about death, dying, and burial is tough to do. In our culture, we do everything we can to avoid or even deny the realities of death, often leaving all the decision-making and funeral planning until it is too late. And those who do take a more proactive approach to their funeral plans often do so in secret—not sharing any of their arrangements until their families read their wills. (more…)

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