Timesharing the Family Urn

May 15th, 2017
Timesharing the Family Urn

Timesharing the Family Urn

One reason for choosing cremation over burial is that you are left with a tangible memento of your loved one. Although many people choose to scatter or bury the ashes, just as many take them home in a commemorative urn to be placed in a mantle or otherwise cherished. (more…)

Planning a Funeral for a Suicide Victim

May 9th, 2017
Planning a Funeral for a Suicide Victim

Planning a Funeral for a Suicide Victim

Some funerals are more difficult to plan than others. While all grief is real and painful, circumstances can make planning a funeral a struggle. This is especially true in instances where the cause of death was suicide. (more…)

Funeral Etiquette After a Divorce

May 1st, 2017
Funeral Etiquette After a Divorce

Funeral Etiquette After a Divorce

Death is not the only thing that separates families. Although nothing is quite as final as the passing of a loved one, divorce often does just as good a job at keeping people from sharing their lives. Depending on how things stand within the families, you might still keep in contact with your ex’s family, you might be estranged from all of your previous in-laws, or you might share some other kind of arrangement. (more…)

Bereavement Yoga

April 26th, 2017
Bereavement Yoga

Bereavement Yoga

Everyone approaches funeral planning and bereavement in a different way. For some people, it takes years of formal therapy before life begins to feel normal again. For others, moving on is a personal and internal struggle. As long as you are taking positive, healthy steps in a way that works for you, there is no wrong way to grieve. (more…)

How to Get a Death Certificate without a Body

April 21st, 2017
How to Get a Death Certificate without a Body

How to Get a Death Certificate without a Body

Whenever you read funeral planning advice online or talk to a funeral director about how to begin the process of wading through the paperwork involved in death, you will likely be instructed to get at least five to ten copies of the death certificate. That’s because everything from accessing life insurance policies to closing bank accounts or even getting the power shut off at the deceased’s home follows a strict paper trail. (more…)

Pros and Cons of a Small, Private Funeral Service

April 18th, 2017
Pros and Cons of a Small, Private Funeral Service

Pros and Cons of a Small, Private Funeral Service

In a time when many people are looking to reduce funeral costs and simplify the process of burial or cremation, it is becoming more common to consider a private funeral service. Although celebrities and notable figures almost always have private funerals, the average services are open to the public. This means that you broadcast a time and place in an obituary or death notice, and anyone who wishes to attend may show up to pay their respects. (more…)

Sympathy Gifts: Food and Food Baskets

April 14th, 2017
Sympathy Gifts: Food and Food Baskets

Sympathy Gifts: Food and Food Baskets

One of the things we’re often told to do to support a newly grieving family is to send a sympathy gift or gift basket that contains food. The tradition of providing food as a show of support goes back hundreds of years, and is part of a long-standing culture in which entire communities gather together after a loss—and need to be fed in the meantime. (more…)

Unique Funeral Plans: Stopping a Procession at the Drive-Thru

April 10th, 2017
Stopping a Procession at the Drive-Thru

Stopping a Procession at the Drive-Thru

The funeral procession has long been a part of traditional burial plans. When a loved one is being buried at a cemetery located some distance from the funeral itself (either at a funeral home or at a separate church), it is customary for the guests to form a line of cars to accompany the hearse to the burial site. Depending on the distance, this could be a quick journey through a stoplight or a lengthy trip requiring attendants to direct traffic. (more…)

Understanding the Funeral Price List

April 5th, 2017
Understanding the Funeral Price List

Understanding the Funeral Price List

According to federal regulations, every funeral home must provide a General Price List that outlines specific funeral costs. This list is typically provided when you sit down with the funeral director to go over your options, and may be accompanied by a list of burial package deals. Most experts suggest you take a moment to review the list, or even get a copy to take home and go over with your family before you make any final decisions. (more…)

Can I Hold a Funeral at Night?

March 31st, 2017
Can I Hold a Funeral at Night?

Can I Hold a Funeral at Night?

Funeral planning and traditions have become such an ingrained part of our culture that any sort of deviance from routine is automatically questioned. Most funerals are held on weekdays during the day. Families and friends share prayers and eulogies before heading to a meal hosted by the family. A graveside service is typically conducted during the day. (more…)

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