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How to Choose the Right Urn

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  Finding an appropriate cremation urn for your recently departed loved one can be emotionally overwhelming. There are several things to consider when selecting the proper urn, including size, shape, color, size, and even the personal tastes and interests of the person who passed.   So, how do you start making a decision like this, and how do you know your choice is the RIGHT choice? Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you select the appropriate urn for your dearly departed loved one:   Consider The Place of Burial Before looking at urn styles, families may want to think about the final resting place of a loved one's cremation urn. Will you scatter the ashes, bury the urn, or place it at home? For example, if you are scattering the ashes, you may want to look at the choices in scattering urns or scattering tubes, water burial urns, or less expensive urns as the urn itself is only temporary. However, if you are placing the urn in someone's home, the urn style can become more

Selecting a Casket

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  Selecting a Casket   There are plenty of purchases that are a pleasure and a treat, such as buying a new outfit for a special occasion or purchasing new furniture for your home. But there are some things that you need to buy that are the exact opposite of fun; they are painful, emotional, and confusing. One of these purchases is deciding on a casket for a recently deceased loved one.   It's a purchase that comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility, not to mention emotional stress and grief. On top of other funeral expenses and planning the service, buying a casket is one of the most significant and challenging funeral product purchases you must make. It's a big-ticket item with prices and features that greatly vary. However, with proper preparation, you can avoid some of the often-made mistakes that come with making such an important purchase during an emotionally traumatizing time. How? By learning as much as you can before you start shopping.    Following a few simple

Planning a Funeral or Memorial Service

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Talking about death to those closest to you, to the people you care about the most in the world, is never easy. There are several reasons it's so difficult to talk about this sensitive subject; perhaps it's the fear of saying the wrong thing or the worry that you will unintentionally hurt someone's feelings. But the other topic that must be addressed when it comes to discussing death is how to plan a funeral for a loved one who has passed.   Memorial services and funerals provide an opportunity for you, other family members, friends, and others who cared about the deceased, to remember and honor the person who died while simultaneously providing comfort and support to all involved.    Here are a few things to know when it comes to planning a funeral:   Choose the Form of Burial According to Very Well Health , when planning a funeral or memorial service, the first step is choosing the form of final body disposition which aligns best with the deceased's wishes. Whether at

Military Funerals

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According to the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs , Public Law 106-65 requires every eligible veteran to receive a military funeral honors ceremony. The Military Funeral Honors Program includes traditions within the funeral honors, intended to express deep gratitude for those who have served our nation .   Here are some key components of a military funeral:   Military Representatives In Attendance According to the Department of Defense , the law defines a military funeral honors detail as consisting of two or more uniformed military persons, with at least one being a member of the veteran's parent service of the armed forces.   Playing of "Taps" Military One Source states that the U.S. Army officially recognized the version of Taps we know today in 1874. Beginning in 1891, the playing of Taps became the standard at military funeral ceremonies, and in 2013, legislation was passed recognizing Taps as the "National Song of Military Remembrance." Although a li

How to Talk About Deat

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Talking about death to those closest to you, to the people you care about the most in the world, is never easy. There are several reasons why it's so difficult to talk about this sensitive subject; perhaps it's the fear that you'll say the wrong thing, or maybe it's the worry that you will unintentionally hurt someone's feelings. But when honest conversations about death do not occur, it can make those grieving feel additional distress, loneliness, and pain.    But where do you begin handling this topic? What's the best way to approach talking about death to someone you love? Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to discussing death with someone in your life:   Be Honest Because this is a painful subject to broach, people are often tempted to find the perfect or the most clever thing to say. It might even be tempting to try to deny what's happening altogether and minimize the pain you are all going through. Instead, opt for frank and open conve

Understanding Funeral Etiquette

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  Dealing with a significant (and permanent) loss is never easy. There are a thousand questions that don't have easy answers. Fortunately, while there are plenty of unknowns and grey areas when it comes to coping with death and grieving, there are some subjects where the rules of etiquette are clear.    One of those subjects is funerals. When it comes to attending funerals, there are plenty of rules to know and respect:  When should you go to a funeral? What should you wear to that funeral? How to conduct yourself when you are there? How can you show your support to those who have lost a loved one?   Here are a few things to understand about funeral etiquette before you attend an upcoming service:   The Attendance According to FTD By Design , if you knew the deceased, this is an opportunity for you to remember their life and properly say your goodbyes. If you did not know the deceased well but are close to their loved ones, attending a funeral is an appropriate way to show them you

Grief Support Resources

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  While moments of grief occur in everyone's life, the death of a loved one can cause significant emotional pain and trauma. This trauma is far worse for people who have witnessed their loved ones pass on, for example, due to an accident or prolonged illness. If overlooked, grief could lead to deeper psychological issues or mental illnesses such as depression.   Grief Support The grieving process can take so many forms; you don't know how you'll react or feel until you're experiencing it. There are no wrong or right ways to grieve. All you can do is try to cope with your feelings in a way that feels right to you.   Grief, loss, and bereavement support groups are vital resources for those who have lost loved ones because they can connect with others going through a similar grieving process. For example, a parent who has lost a young child would seek out a support group where others with a similar loss gather and share their feelings. These groups provide those grieving