Nearly 5 years ago, my husband’s precious maternal grandmother passed away. This special woman had an amazing sense of humor and a flair for life. Without saying a word, she could make me laugh with just a look. Several years before her death, she visited a local funeral home in order to plan her funeral services. When she passed away, the family didn’t have to deal with the stress of organizing her farewell services. They could relax, grieve, and concentrate on the wonderful memories they shared with her. I've grown to appreciate this. On this blog, you will discover the steps required to plan your own funeral.
Planning Your Funeral
Tips For Dealing With Choices In Funeral Planning
Nora Mitchelle
Planning a funeral is probably something you don't have to do very often. The first time is usually when a close loved one dies and you are overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. Funeral planning can be stressful and difficult during such a time. Planning a funeral in advance alleviates some of the pressure, but if your loved one didn't make arrangements, the decisions may be yours alone to make. Here are some tips that may help:
When Expense Is A Consideration
If there was no insurance policy to cover funeral expenses and money is tight, you may need to let the expense be a deciding factor in how you proceed. Rather than choosing a traditional burial in a casket with a public funeral, you may want to opt for cremation with a private memorial among family. This cuts down on cost and it makes the experience more personal for the loved ones left behind. You'll be able to celebrate your loved one's life with the people he or she cared about most and then spread the ashes in your loved one's favorite place.
When Trying To Decide On The Funeral Service
Planning a funeral service can be perplexing if your loved one had no religious affiliation. If he or she was a member of the church, then you'll have a support system built in that includes a minister to perform the service and a choir to sing your chosen hymns. If you and your loved one were not part of a church family, the funeral director can help you find a minister if you want a religious service. However, you can have a meaningful funeral service that is not religious in nature. The service can be at the funeral home or in an informal location such as your home. Friends and family can take turns telling favorite stories about your loved one. The important thing is that you feel like your loved one was honored appropriately and that you and your family have closure over the passing.
When Deciding On Having A Viewing
A viewing is an informal gathering that precedes the funeral service itself. It was once common to have the viewing period spread out over two or three days. Friends and family could come and view the body and visit with each other during that time for support. The viewing period often helps the grieving process along. Now, it is acceptable to limit the viewing to a few hours right before the service or to eliminate the viewing altogether. If your loved one was well known in the community and had many friends, you may need additional time for viewing. However, since most of the people who loved the deceased will attend the funeral, you can make things more convenient for everyone by holding the viewing and funeral on the same day.
Although you may be overwhelmed with all the decisions you have to make when it's time to plan your loved one's funeral, you can rely on the funeral director to be a huge help. Take time to have all your questions answered so you can feel like you've made the right choices when it comes to the selection of the casket and type of service to honor your loved one.
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