The passing of a loved one is never easy. When we lose someone we care about we set about memorializing them through a service. A church, people gathered dressed all in black, an open casket, and somber music are all typical images that come to mind when we think of a traditional funeral. It’s a typical scene, but it is also an idea that isn’t shared by everyone.
While some see the end of life as a solemn meant to mourn a passing, others believe that it should be seen as a celebration. Not to celebrate the end of a life, but to celebrate all that was accomplished while the person was around on this earth, and to honor them as they had lived.
Sometimes an alternative style funeral celebration may be seen as controversial or even offensive. Often, something that goes against established traditions raises eyebrows. At their core though, these alternative types of services have the one most important thing in common with a traditional celebration, which is to honor the passing of a cherished person.
Living Funeral
The living funeral was an idea that received popularity from the novel Tuesdays with Morrie. The simple concept is that a person, usually one who is terminally ill or otherwise knows they have very little time left, hosts a celebration where friends and family gather to say their final farewells.
These are often held in an environment of the host’s choosing. They also tend to be a warmer, familiar, and more relaxed occasion as people share stories, laugh, and cry, having an opportunity to say their final farewells when the person is still around to hear them.
The Motorcycle Funeral
For anybody that has been a long time rider of the two-wheeled motorized method of travel, a motorcycle becomes an integral part of their lives. A motorcycle funeral may involve a memorial ride with surviving family, friends, and members of the deceased’s motorcycle club honoring the fallen with one last ride.
In the case of one motorcycle enthusiast, his viewing involved his body riding his motorcycle one last time. It’s certainly strange to see, but for his closest friends and family, they wanted to see him one last time, not as he died, but as he lived.
A Green Service
The impact of losing a loved one is a tremendous event and it is certainly no less of an impact on our environment. An article that appeared in 2008 in Scientific American referenced a study in National Geographic that highlighted the environmental impact that funerals are having. Millions of feet of wooden boards, thousands of tons of steel, hundreds of thousands of gallons of embalming fluid, these are all being kept underground.
An eco-conscious person is not interested in leaving a lasting impression. For them, the ideal service is a modest and reserved one. Only the closest people would attend, working diligently to reduce the carbon footprint of the event. A green burial often involves avoiding cremation and using a casket made of biodegradable material. The belief here lies in the idea of returning everything to the earth from which we originally came.
Contemporary society has no shortage of ways to see the passing of our loved ones. Some may seem strange and maybe even offensive to certain sensibilities at times. Remember though, that for the loved ones who still remain, their choice of service reflect how they feel is best to honor and respect those that are no longer with us.
By Dennis Aimes Dennis Aimes is a husband, father and part-time super hero. When he isn’t busy saving his wife from spiders he works as a writer and insurance advisor specializing in funeral plan insurance from GIO
Many people are uncomfortable with the prospect of planning for their own death. Admittedly, the thought of planning your own funeral is indeed a bit morbid; like you’re welcoming death with open arms. But if you look at it from a rational and economical perspective, it is actually very logical to do so.
beckafoxCheryl Fox's 20-year-old daughter, Becka Fox, took her own life in April of 2013. One can hardly imagine a more horrible event in a family's life. The disorganized lack of professionalism on the part of the funeral home to whom Cheryl entrusted Becka is salt in a very raw wound. As you'll see from the email exchange below, Cheryl's requests of the funeral home are reasonable and she's been far more patient than most parents in her position would be. We hope that by publicizing Cheryl's story that the people at Klamath Tribute Center will be motivated to remedy the situation. 
Many people choose to place memorials on the graves of their loved ones. Memorials are a way of marking a grave and enable you to leave a personalised tribute to the person that has been buried there. There are many questions surrounding the time in which a memorial can be erected on a grave. This is something that we are going to answer in this article, along with other related questions.
By Tom Reynolds 
When grief enters our lives, we often feel unprepared for it. We may feel like a black cloud is following us, or as though we’ve become that black cloud, raining pain and sorrow down in every direction. The emotions that arise feel overwhelming and abundant, and we rarely feel prepared to meet such emotions.
Choosing the funeral casket for a deceased loved one can be very difficult because of the emotion involved. At times, the family may experience doubt or regret about the chosen casket because they make the decision while grieving and without doing proper research. Usually the family members select the casket for its appearance, and because of that, they may ignore the price of the casket, or if it is appropriate for the deceased. It is helpful to learn about the different funeral casket materials before selecting a casket.
Funerals are expensive and before planning the memorial service families need to know the funeral payment options. Because of the high cost, many families choose to save money for their, or their loved one’s, funeral. There are a number of different options available for prepaying and guaranteeing the final expenses. Below are the forms of funeral payment that the family of the deceased can choose from to compensate the funeral home’s financial needs during this time of grievance.
How do you write a eulogy that is heartfelt and memorable? If you plan to speak at your loved one’s funeral you may be wondering what steps are required to write and deliver the perfect speech. The thought of public speaking is daunting to most people. Combine the fear of public speaking with the grief of losing a loved one and speaking at a funeral may be one of the most difficult things you have to do.
Various national and local institutions are available to help families get help with funeral costs. They help the bereaved reduce the amount of burden that they currently have when it comes to funeral expenses. Funerals can range from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. However, many of the items that make up an expensive funeral are not required, they are chosen by the family to honor their loved one. Even so, there will be certain expenses that cannot be avoided and many families find it difficult to handle these costs. The following are a few ways that you can help to reduce the funeral costs.
Memorial service speeches are one of the most personal and emotional parts of a funeral. If you have been asked to read a speech at a funeral it is a huge honor. It provides you with an opportunity to pay tribute to your loved one and share your favorite memories with friends and family attending the funeral.
As time progresses, humans become more efficient at outsourcing difficult or time consuming tasks to computers, or other automation tools. These tools allow us to spend our time doing another, more important task that has yet to be automated. This is great, right? We’re increasing our efficiency by lightening our load. The problems occur when we focus only on efficiency, and not on more important factors essential to our survival. Consider cremation. It’s currently one of the most efficient and cheapest ways of burial, but what about the negative consequences? Consider traditional cemeteries. They have regularly mowed lawns, expensive headstones, and beautiful coffins beneath them, but at what cost?
In the days following a death, there may be multitudes of supporters, friends, and family members surrounding and supporting you. But, soon enough, you’re left rebuilding a new life without your loved one like a Buddhist Monk pieces a sand sculpture together, one grain of sand at a time.
Eulogies are the speeches that are delivered during a memorial service. If you have been asked to speak at a funeral, this 6-step eulogy writing guide will help you compose a memorable speech that pays tribute to your loved one.
If you have been asked to write a eulogy for a deceased person it is a great honor. Writing eulogies can be very difficult, especially if you have never written one before. However, no matter how worried you may be to write and deliver the eulogy, do not turn down the opportunity because it is a tremendous distinction. Though it may be the most difficult speech to deliver and brings about a great responsibility, it is an excellent way to honor your loved one and show everyone how much they meant to you.
Even funerals are becoming green these days, which speaks to the environmental concerns of society in general. You’d think that death would be the final frontier, where issues like being friendly to the environment don’t really matter anymore, but you’d be wrong. Funerals can actually be bad for the environment because of all of the embalming fluids that are used on dead bodies. While cremation is becoming far more popular, many people still see their bodies as a vessel for their souls, at least while they’re on Earth. That’s why traditional funerals and religious rites are still the norm. However, if going green appeals to you, here are five advantages of eco funerals and burials.
Casket
Coffin
Direct cremation is the disposition of human remains by cremation, without a visitation, or memorial ceremony with a viewing or closed casket. The primary difference with a direct cremation is that the body is not present at the funeral.In cremation, the body of the deceased is placed in a heated chamber of up to 2,100 degree Fahrenheit until only the bones remain. There are, however, two types of cremation to consider when planning a funeral. In the classic cremation, the body is embalmed and present at the visitation and funeral service. The family may chose to have the casket closed or open for viewing. Like the traditional funeral, the body will be positioned in a casket made of combustible materials appropriate for burning. After the funeral service has been held, the body—together with the casket—will be brought to the crematory for cremation. Because there are funeral services included, the classic cremation is more expensive when compared to direct cremation.
The concept of a green burial has been around for thousands of years, but most people in North America are unfamiliar with the concept because they are used to the “traditional” way of burial. However, what we consider traditional is in reality a modern concept. Metal and hardwood caskets, burial vaults, elaborate headstones, and other funeral products are new traditions formed in the past hundreds of years. Simple natural burials with a basic casket have been practiced for thousands of years.
Loved ones must be accorded respect in both life and death. By knowing the average cost of a funeral you can plan the perfect memorial service to honor the life of your loved one. When someone in your family passes away it is important to pay tribute to their life and lay his or her body to rest in the best way possible. The life of a person must be commemorated properly. The information provided below will help you understand what each component of a funeral costs on average. This will help you to set your budget and make sure that you are making educated decisions when purchasing items for your loved one’s funeral.