When it comes to planning a funeral, there are many decisions that you need to make. A key decision is whether to choose burial or cremation. While both options have their benefits, this blog takes a look at why cremation can be an excellent choice.
Cost Savings
When it comes to funerals, the costs associated with a traditional burial can quickly add up. With cremation, however, those costs are significantly reduced. Depending on where you live and what type of service you choose, cremation is typically much more affordable than burial and can save thousands of dollars for grieving families. As no caskets or headstones are required during a cremation service, that allows even further savings.
Reduced Environmental Impact
With traditional burials, we need to consider the environmental impact they can have when someone passes away. While burying a loved one in their cemetery plot may seem like an ideal way to ensure they can rest in peace, it's worth considering the risk these types of funerals can pose to our environment. Embalming fluids contain chemicals that, over time, seep into the nearby soil and groundwater, contaminating it. With cremations, these chemicals are not released into the ground.
Flexibility
Cremation also offers families more flexibility when it comes to memorialising their loved ones since they don't have to plan around a particular timeline like with traditional burial services. With cremations, families have more time to plan out how they want their loved one remembered; they could opt for an intimate gathering at home with close family members or hold a larger memorial service elsewhere, instead, if they prefer.
There's also less pressure when planning out what kind of service is held since the body isn't present. Instead of focusing on aesthetics like traditional burials, families can focus more on meaningful activities like sharing stories about their loved ones or looking through old photos together during their memorial service instead. This ultimately allows them to find comfort in whatever way works best for them during this difficult time.
Conclusion
Cremation offers many different benefits that make it an attractive option when planning funerals — cost savings, environmental impact reduction and more flexibility, amongst others — so it's definitely worth considering if you're thinking about planning your own funeral or helping someone else plan theirs. If you would like further advice and info, you should contact a local funeral service today. A staff member will be happy to help.
Share26 January 2023
Irving Berlin famously sang, "The song is ended, but the melody lingers on..." Anyone who has been in charge of funeral arrangements knows the importance of striking the delicate balance between reverence and celebration which helps us remember the true heart of a person. We admire incredible examples of funerals that faithfully commemorate a person's life such as those for Nelson Mandela and Joan Rivers. Unfortunately, funerals for our own loved ones often end up being generic or "cookie cutter" because sadness overwhelms us. This blog is designed to help by outlining the ways that funeral directors can personalise a service and providing imaginative ideas.