Posts Tagged ‘memorial’

There’s no denying that it has become commonplace to send sympathy flowers and funeral bouquets to show your regard for the dearly departed. Adding a touch of color to the memorial service and bringing hope to the family, funeral flowers are a great way to demonstrate support and love.

However, funeral flowers aren’t for everyone. Whether the family asks you to skip the blooms in lieu of a charitable contribution, or if the deceased was concerned for the environment and is asking for a green funeral, you may be asked to send an alternative sympathy gift. Here are few ideas.

• “In Lieu of” Donations: The most common non-floral gift is one of money. Many families will select a charity that meant something special to the deceased and ask for contributions to be made in his or her name. You can also find a charity of your own to support. Whether you formally make the donation in the deceased’s name, or if you give the money and leave things there, these kinds of gifts are lasting and meaningful. (more…)

When it comes to funeral planning, some people prefer to have everything taken care of ahead of time. In addition to setting aside money for a funeral, this includes choosing things like caskets and headstones ahead of time. And if you really don’t want to leave anything to chance, you can also write your own obituary.

After all, no one can sum up your life quite as well as you can. Awards and achievements—those things that look good on paper—might make for a nice newspaper article, but they rarely capture who you are as a person and what kind of message you want to leave behind. If writing your own obituary and placing it with your estate plans is something that appeals to you, here’s how you can best go about it. (more…)

Cremation is gaining traction as the funeral planning method of choice, with over a third of Americans opting to be cremated over being buried. These numbers are only expected to continue rising, and estimates suggest that over half of all deaths will end in cremation by the year 2020.

Of course, just because cremation is becoming more popular doesn’t mean everyone will have to dispose of the ashes in the same way. One of the best things about cremation is how creative you can get with the remains. Here are ten unique and not-so-unique ways to say goodbye to your loved one.

1. Display the Urn: Although some people find it macabre to keep a loved one’s ashes displayed on the mantle, this is a traditional option for anyone who wants to stay near their dear and departed. A decorative urn can be placed in the home or in a columbarium for regular visitations.

2. Ash Scattering Ceremony: Most people opt to scatter the cremated remains of a loved one. Whether you go out back in the garden or stand on the bow of a boat and send the ashes off to sea, scattering the ashes is a great way to say goodbye (just make sure you have the right permits first) (more…)

If you’ve recently cremated a loved one and are looking for creative yet respectful ways to dispose of the ashes, an ash scattering ceremony is a good choice. Although not every public or private area allows for this kind of option, these locations are some of the favorites for scattering ashes and saying goodbye.

• Garden or Flowerbed: There’s no reason why you have to travel to the ocean or far away to send the proper respects to the deceased. One of the most popular places to scatter ashes is in the deceased’s garden, orchard, or flowerbed. Because it’s your own land, you don’t have to worry about getting permission, and you can erect any kind of monument you want afterwards.

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There are many reasons to delay a funeral. Maybe it’s a difficult time of year for family members to get time off work or to make travel arrangements. Perhaps the deceased wished for a springtime service. Maybe you don’t currently have the money to cover funeral costs.

Whatever the reasons, it’s becoming more common to opt for direct cremation or direct burial immediately following death—and to hold a formal “funeral” or memorial service sometime in the future. You can wait weeks, months, or even years to do this, which gives you greater flexibility and more options when it comes to saying goodbye.

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After the funeral planning has come to an end and the family gathers to say goodbye to the deceased, it’s time for the funeral luncheon to start. Because most funerals take place during the morning (or in the early afternoon), it’s common for the deceased’s family to hold an informal luncheon afterward, in which guests can enjoy a light repast and share their grief.

Although this type of after-funeral memorial party isn’t a required tradition, it’s a good idea to brush up on your funeral lunch etiquette before you arrive.

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Giving a memorial gift is a great way to show a loved one how much you care about their loss and the difficulties they’ll undergo in the months ahead. In addition to things like funeral flowers, people often choose pretty mementos like engraved plaques, ornamental urns, memory journals, or statuettes.

While of all these make appropriate presents, there isn’t a whole lot of personalization involved. To find a truly one-of-a-kind memorial gift, you may want to get closer to the deceased. A lot closer. As close as his or her DNA.

DNA Artwork

DNA artwork bridges the scientific and artistic communities by creating large, visually appealing works of art that depend entirely on a person’s unique DNA. Offered from several different companies and in several different formats, the most popular version on the market right now are the DNA Portraits offered by a company known as dna11.

The process is fairly complex and takes a while (usually around 6 weeks). You send in a DNA sample through their kit, their lab runs it through a special gel to find the unique code, and it is turned into a digitally-enhanced canvas picture.

Of course, when you’re considering this for a deceased family member or friend, getting a DNA sample may not be that easy. Because the company prefers a cheek swab over something sloughed off (like hair in a brush or clipped fingernails), you may need to coordinate with the funeral home in order to get the sample taken.

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iMortuary welcomes guest contributor, Dennis Aimes. Dennis Aimes is a writer and insurance advisor that specializes in the GIO funeral insurance product for his Australian based clientele.

The end of life can be a time of great sadness.  It should also be a time of joy, as we not only mourn the passing of a cherished loved one but celebrate the accomplishments of their life.  The celebration is one reason why the living funeral has been rising in popularity as an alternative to the traditional funeral.

Why a living funeral?

When someone is born we celebrate their entrance into our world and our lives.  We feast and celebrate when a child is born.  We celebrate each year that passes with birthday parties, marking the annual ceremony of when someone’s life began.  This is where the logic behind having a living funeral comes from.  Why should the end of life be any different, why focus on the negative aspect of a person leaving us when we should look back and celebrate all that they have accomplished?

When to have one

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The majority of funeral and memorial services are held indoors. Although many people opt to include an outdoor gravesite service in addition to a more formal indoor event, the most traditional funeral planning option is to hold a memorial service in a church, funeral home, or private home. This indoor environment means that it’s easy to control the temperature, ensure that any audio-visual equipment is protected from the elements, and know that everyone will be comfortable as they prepare to say their farewells.

Because death occurs rain or shine, getting outdoors to enjoy a memorial service under the sun might seem like a challenge. However, with the right kind of planning, you can hold a memorial service outside and enjoy a different, more natural kind of funeral.

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The average American puts quite a bit of time and expense into funeral planning, usually to the tune of about one week and $10,000. And for the most part, this is considered well-spent. After all, we constantly hear about how this is the last chance to say farewell and a reason to gather the entire family together at one time—even if it is with a somber note to the event.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the commemoration of a loved one’s life has to stop the day after the funeral takes place. A growing trend in the death care community is to follow up on a funeral one, two, three, or even ten years later with an anniversary memorial service.

What is an Anniversary Memorial Service?

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