Why do some people choose cremation over a more traditional funeral?
There are several options available when deciding what to do when a loved one dies.
Some choose cremation because they feel it is a more ecologically sound choice, they feel that there simply is not enough room for everyone to be buried in a casket. The fact is that if all 300+ million Americans were to die at once, they could all be buried in a cemetery the size of ¼ of Rhode Island. The problem is that some areas do not have enough designated cemetery space. There is plenty of land…there is just not enough cemetery land set aside at this time.
Can we save money by choosing cremation?
Cremation can be a less expensive alternative to traditional burial. It may or may not be the best choice for your particular situation.
Understand that cremation is less expensive because you normally do not have to purchase a casket. A less expensive alternative container may be used. An outer burial enclosure (usually a concrete vault) is not necessary either. Some choose to protect the cremated remains with an urn vault however. When burying the cremains in a cemetery, a smaller grave is dug which costs less in most cemeteries. The services offered by the funeral home for arrangements and conducting a memorial service are the same as they are in a traditional funeral, therefore you should expect to pay for those services at the same rate when cremation is chosen.
Can we still have a service if we cremate?
What many may not be aware of is that there can be ample opportunity for memorialization when cremation is chosen. You can still have calling hours (a wake or viewing), so that friends and family can gather and show support for the bereaved. A ritual good-bye, whether it be religious, with clergy officiating, or less structured, can be arranged with the help of your funeral director, either in a church, at the funeral home or at another appropriate site. A burial rite, such as a committal service can also be performed at the place of disposition of the cremains (ashes), if you have chosen burial or scattering.
Another option is to have a traditional service followed by cremation. Many families have found this the best way to combine religious and social needs with their own beliefs, or the wishes of the deceased. This option, although it does require embalming in most cases, does not mean that a casket must be purchased. Our funeral home offers the use of a rental casket in such instances.
It is important to remember that choosing cremation does not mean you have to be shut off from the traditional social, family and community interactions that can be so important to people at a time when it means so much.