Monthly Archives: June 2022

Funeral Homes Help To Celebrate Life

There are plenty of different things you can do for a loved one with funeral homes in Washington Township, MI. Some families like to stick with the traditions and have somber services that are ceremonial in style. Others like to celebrate a life well-lived and that’s certainly a good way to go, too. If you would like to celebrate your loved one’s life, here are some of the things the funeral home might suggest to help you find the right tone and style for the event.

Consider Their Favorite Hobbies

Often, a celebration of life events will have a theme and you might use your loved one’s hobbies to help you to get that theme idea. Perhaps they adored running, so you hold a 5k in their honor and donate funds to a charity. If they liked to knit, you bring their knitting club together to have an event in their honor. Maybe they teach your family to knit and you all attempt to make something as a group. Their hobbies can help you to figure out what you might want to do for their life celebration.

Donate To A Charity They Support

Your loved one may have supported a certain charity and today, donating to that charity can mean a lot to them. You can gather memorial funds and during the life celebration, let people bring other funds that will go to a certain charity. It’s nice to know that your loved one’s name will be honored through that donation. You are picking up where they left off, in a way, with their own work through the charity.

Choose A Certain Destination

You’ve heard of destination weddings, but what about destination life celebrations? That is also a possibility. Maybe your loved one always talked about that family vacation to Wyoming fondly. Have a celebration mixed with a vacation for your family to relive those times and make new memories. Or, maybe your loved one always wanted to go to Florida, but never got the chance. Have a life celebration for them in that location to honor their wish.

Create A Memorial Book

It might be nice to gather your loved ones for a life celebration event and have everyone bring pictures or other items to add to a memorial book. Some family members might have newspaper clippings from when your loved one won a track meet back in high school or an old paper they wrote. Everyone can add to the book, write in memories, and make something special that you can pass around at other family events in the future to remember your loved one by.

It’s always hard to plan a final service for a loved one because you are going to miss that person, but the professionals at funeral homes in Washington Township, MI wants you to be able to honor that person in whatever way you see fit. If that means a life celebration, ask them for options on that type of event and figure out what feels the best.

Direct Cremation Services – Pros And Cons

When you think about cremation services in Chesterfield Township, MI, you might think about a certain type of cremation, either full or direct cremation. Full cremation includes a visitation and funeral service before the cremation takes place. Direct cremation, on the other hand, happens within a few days of death without any services beforehand. If you are considering direct cremation, either for your own pre-plans or for a loved one who has passed on, you should think about the pros and cons of the option to ensure it is right for you.

Pro: It’s The Lowest Cost Option

Cremation of any kind will cost less than a traditional funeral and burial service, but direct cremation is going to cost less than full cremation. Direct cremation includes far fewer products and services as necessities and that puts a low-price tag on the process from the start. If budget is a concern, it’s nice to know that there are options within the cremation window that can help you to meet needs while satisfying the budget range you have in mind.

Con: Not Everyone Can Say Goodbye In Person

It can help family members, and even friends, to feel as if they had a chance to say goodbye to their loved one before they are able to move on. With a visitation service and even a funeral, that opportunity is presented to those who attend. If you go with direct cremation, some people might feel as if they didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to the person in question. You can have a memorial service after the cremation occurs, of course, but that might feel different than a traditional visitation.

Pro: Plentiful Options Later

Direct cremation gives families as many options as they want after the cremation process is complete. Once the cremation is behind them, there’s no timeline on anything. Families can have a memorial service right away, or they can have one, later on, months down the road. They can also have any kind of memorial style they want. It’s also nice to have final resting place options. With a funeral, burial in a cemetery is the only option. With cremation, the options are open-ended and, again, there’s no timeline for deciding.

Con: Can Feel Too Fast

Direct cremation will occur a few days after a person dies and it might feel like a fast thing for family and friends. You shouldn’t move forward with cremation if you aren’t sure about the process, but when you are certain, things will move quickly to take care of your loved one’s needs.

There are pros and cons for both full and direct cremation services in Chesterfield Township, MI and you will want to consider them both when you are trying to decide between them. If you aren’t sure what you want for your loved one, or for yourself as part of your own final services, the professionals can show you the packages and go over the options until you are able to make a decision that feels right.

Full Cremation Services Have Pros And Cons

Cremation is a service that has been around for thousands of years. Many people appreciate it for the options it brings to the table. If you know you want cremation services in Washington Township, MI for a loved one, you then have to decide whether you want full or direct cremation for them. There are advantages to each and it’s a good idea to know the pros and cons before you decide either way. Here are some of the points to consider revolving around full cremation services, which include a visitation and funeral service before the cremation takes place.

Pro: The Family Gets Traditions

Some families might not like the idea of cremation because they don’t have the traditions they are used to having. But you can have those traditions when you go with full cremation. Your family will have a visitation and funeral service prior to the cremation process. After the cremation is carried out, you can then have a memorial, if you want, and decide on a resting place at any time. But the traditions give family closure and a chance to say goodbye.

Con: It Costs More That Direct Cremation

Cremation, in general, will always cost less than a full funeral and burial service. But when you go with full cremation, you should know that it does cost more than direct cremation. You will have a visitation and funeral service in addition to the cremation process, which of course will cost more than just a cremation like you would have with direct cremation.

Pro: It Still Costs Less Than Funeral/Burial

Full cremation sits in the middle, between a direct cremation (which costs less) and a full funeral and burial service (which costs much more.) You can ensure that you will pay less for a full cremation than a funeral, which might make it fit into your budget better.

Con: Service Planning Has A Timeline

One nice thing about direct cremation is that once the cremation is complete, the family has as much time as they want to make other service plans. With full cremation, you have the funeral before the cremation takes place, which leaves the family less time to make plans for their loved one. It can feel overwhelming to put things together quickly. At the same time, if that’s what you want for your loved one, it’s worth the time and effort to get things lined up right away.

If you are considering either full or direct cremation services in Washington Township, MI, you are going to want to work with the professionals in figuring out the differences so you can reach a decision for your loved one. Look over the packages, examine your budget, and see what might fit your family and your loved one. Keep in mind that no matter which direction you go, you are meeting your loved one’s needs. You are also giving your loved one an honorable, respectful send-off. It’s nice to know that you can’t go wrong since either cremation option is equal in the honor department.

Visitation Details From Funeral Homes

When someone you know passes on, you might check the obituaries to see what services the funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI are holding for them, along with their family members. Once you know where the services are, and when, you can decide what you might attend, if you are invited or things are open to the public. It’s nice to honor someone, pay your respects, and share your sympathies with the family at a visitation service. Here are some details on that visitation service to help you know what to do and how to fit in.

Hours Are Open

You might see in the obituary that the visitation is going to be from 10-noon or another range of hours like that. Visitation services are like open houses. They are come and go as you please and they allow you to stop in when you are able. You don’t have to get there right at the start and you don’t have to stay until the end. Generally, only the closest immediate family will be there for the entire service. Most people will stop by for 20-30 minutes to see the person who passed and talk to the family.

Dress Is Varied

You will likely feel like you need to wear something dark and formal to a traditional funeral service, but that doesn’t have to be the same for a visitation service. These services are much more casual in nature. You can wear whatever you have on for work if you are stopping through on a break. Just wear something decent, but it doesn’t have to be a suit or a dress in order to get by at this type of casual service.

Gifts Are Nice, But Not Required

It is often nice, though never required, to bring something to the family at the visitation service. Cards are the most common item and you can place memorial money inside, if you so choose. It’s a nice way to support the family and remind them that you came to honor their loved one later when they go through the cards.

Approaching The Casket Isn’t Necessary

There are no requirements where the casket is concerned at these visitation events. You can approach the casket, if you want to and feel comfortable doing so. It might help you get closure and to say a final goodbye to that person. However, perhaps you are just going to support the family or maybe you don’t feel like going up to the casket. That’s okay as well. There’s no right or wrong way to go when it comes to approaching the casket.

If you want more advice on attending visitation services, funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI are here to help you with more tips at any time. Even if you aren’t organizing the final services, they are here to help you support those who are grieving. You can call and ask general or specific questions about the visitation that is coming up for your friend.

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