Monthly Archives: April 2023

cremation services in Eatonville, WA

A Guide for the Funeral Reception

When people lose a loved one, their worlds are shattered. It takes effort just to get through the day, let alone plan a funeral reception. As a result, the cremation services in Eatonville, WA have put together your best guide to surviving the funeral reception. This way, whether you’re attending as a guest or planning the majority of the event, everything you need to know is in one place. Continue reading for helpful information and other coping strategies.

What Exactly Is a Funeral Reception

A funeral reception, distinct from a memorial service, is a special event for family members and friends to honor the deceased without a formalized structure. The gathering following a funeral usually includes food and drinks and serves as a place to express condolences to the family. This is also referred to as a repast.

While a reception following a funeral is not required, it serves as an event to help people grieve. Given all of the preparation, hosting one may appear overwhelming.

There are invitations, set-up, cleanup, and other logistics to consider. But that’s why we have close friends and family. It is acceptable to seek assistance when necessary.

What Must Be Done to Prepare for the Reception

For different people, hosting a funeral reception will look different. Various cultures, religions, budgets, and other factors will determine how and when a memorial gathering will take place, as well as who will attend. However, there are some similarities in planning a funeral reception.

It is best to think about the following.

  • Who are you going to invite?

Consider how you want to commemorate your deceased loved one with friends and family. Frequently, the host will send invitations to everyone who attended the memorial service. Sometimes the host prefers a more intimate setting with just a few close friends and family.

  • What are your food plans for the funeral reception?

After you’ve determined your budget and the number of guests you intend to invite, it’s time to think about how you’ll feed them. There is no correct or incorrect method. However, because food is an important part of the funeral reception, having a plan is essential.

  • Where will the funeral reception take place?

When planning a post-funeral reception, it’s critical to start thinking about location early on, especially if you need to reserve a space ahead of time.

What date and time will the reception be held?cremation services in Eatonville, WA

A hard start and stop time are ideal for funeral receptions. Overstaying guests can be exhausting, so setting an end time can help. A typical gathering following a memorial service lasts a couple of hours. There are, however, no hard and fast rules, and you should plan for what is best for you and your family. You should be considerate of anyone visiting from out of town. If you choose to hold the reception on a different day than the service, travelers may find it difficult to plan ahead of time, especially if the gathering is during the week.

Whether you are hosting or attending a funeral reception, it is helpful to have a resource to help you get through the day. Remember that there is no right or wrong way to grieve and that you should take time for yourself during the service and reception. If you require assistance, please contact the cremation services in Eatonville, WA. You can also call us right now.

funeral homes in Eatonville, WA

Popular Above-Ground Burial Methods

Are you attempting to make the critical decision of where to bury your deceased loved one? Perhaps you object to the idea of burying a loved one underground. Perhaps you believe that traditional burials are harmful to the environment and would prefer a green burial option. As you consider your or a loved one’s final resting place, you may be relieved to know that you have several above-ground burial options. Use this information when requesting funeral quotes from the funeral homes in Eatonville, WA. It’s also worth noting that in the industry, above-ground burial is often referred to as entombment.

Columbarium

A columbarium is a type of mausoleum. Instead of full-sized caskets, a columbarium houses urns containing your loved one’s cremated remains. Some columbarium niches are built inside mausoleums. Others are constructed on the inside of a religious building’s wall. The spaces are denoted by engraved labels.

Sarcophagus

In the United States, a sarcophagus is more likely to be found in a museum than in most cemeteries. A sarcophagus is a stone-carved casket designed to house a body. They were popular in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. They were typically ornately decorated and are now regarded as works of art.

Family-Owned Mausoleum

There are definite advantages to having a family-owned mausoleum. It’s reassuring to know that your final resting place will be close to other members of your family.

The advantage is that once the initial cost is covered, subsequent family members only need to pay a nominal fee to reopen the crypt when other family members die.

Cemetery-Owned Mausoleum

Most families cannot afford to build a mausoleum that costs as much as a small house. Instead, you can choose to be buried in a public mausoleum.

There are two main types of public mausoleums.

  • Indoor mausoleums

Indoor mausoleums are buildings that allow mourners to see a wall of sealed crypts. Each crypt has a small plaque with the deceased’s name, as well as their birth and death dates. Indoor mausoleums are usually peaceful and quiet places to visit. Many have benches where visitors can sit. In the background, some have soft music playing.

  • Garden mausoleums

Garden mausoleums are a less expensive option for entombment. Survivors cannot visit garden mausoleums because there is no indoor space. The vaults are open to the public, and mourners can visit the crypt as they would a cemetery headstone.

Garden Walls

There are outdoor columbarium niches, just as there are indoor mausoleums and garden mausoleums. These are known as garden walls. Visitors to garden wall niches, like those who visit a cemetery, are exposed to the elements.

Scattering Garden

Scattering gardens are now available in some cemeteries. Survivors can use these gardens to scatter the ashes of their loved ones. Some people choose to scatter their loved one’s ashes in afuneral homes in Eatonville, WA scattering garden because it provides a place for family members to visit in the future to reflect on their loved one’s life.

There are numerous advantages to above-ground entombment over burial or cremation. Examine the paperwork that your deceased loved one left behind. You might be surprised to learn that your loved one has already purchased a cemetery plot or a mausoleum crypt. Consider looking into the funeral homes in Eatonville, WA for more information on this subject. Visit us right away or call to make an appointment.

cremation services in Lakewood, WA

Do-It-Yourself Gifts to Bring to a Life Celebration

Your handmade gifts are heartfelt. They indicate that you put in the time and effort to create something meaningful for the bereaved family and friends. The cremation services in Lakewood, WA are available to provide a few simple options for those in mourning.

Photographs of the Deceased

Spend some time searching your photo albums and your phone for photos of the deceased. Make several copies and buy a photo album and frame. Then, find some lovely wrapping paper and adorn it with a simple ribbon.

You can share photos and stories with all of your friends and family at the service. Following that, the family can select the best picture to go in the frame.

A Journal and a Pen

Look for a lovely journal to give to the deceased’s family. Fill in the first few pages of the journal with one or two stories.

Choose ones that are amusing or heartwarming. Bring a pen to the party, and then pass the journal around so guests can fill it out. At the end of the event, you’ll have a spectacular gift to give to the surviving family members.

Handwritten Letter on Stationery

Spend some time writing a sympathy message on lovely stationery for the family. Write about your relationship, the times you’ve spent together, the moments or words you’ve shared, and, most importantly, the significance of their death.

Letters like this should not elicit a single emotion. If you have the ability, walk the family through the ups and downs, but most importantly, end the note with a sense of hope. The loss is significant enough; people must also have faith and courage.

Traditional Cream Cheese Mints

The origin of the infamous cream cheese mint is unknown, but it can be found on tables across the United States during family gatherings. If you’ve ever picked up one of these pastel-colored leaves or roses, you’re familiar with their smooth, creamy goodness.

If you ate them as a child or later, you’re aware of how they evoke family, comfort, and love. Make your cream cheese mints with a flexible mold.

Recipes

Family recipes have become less popular since the advent of online recipe-sharing and cooking blogs. So, go through your recipe collection and find the perfect one, then copy it onto a new card. However, don’t stop there. Make the food so that everyone in the family can sample this heirloom gift.

Confirmation of a Charitable Contribution

Donating in someone’s name is a lovely way to honor someone while also helping a worthy nonprofit.cremation services in Lakewood, WA

Remember, it’s impolite to reveal the amount of the donation. A confirmation of the donation, on the other hand, can be printed without the dollar amount. Tuck the printout inside the envelope before sealing the card’s envelope.

Life celebrations bring people together to love, laugh, and cry with family and friends. Whether formal or informal, you can find ways to remember all of those wonderful moments and days together. After attending, hopefully, you’ve picked up some new stories that will help you deal with your grief. If you need more information on the celebration of life services, please contact the cremation services in Lakewood, WA, or come and see us.

funeral homes in Lakewood, WA 

Cremated Remains Burial

Nothing compares to the anguish of losing a loved one, whether a family member or a close friend. Despite this, we are still expected to make major decisions and make arrangements during this time of mourning. From notifying the family to writing an obituary and making funeral arrangements, it appears that there is an endless list of tasks to complete in a short period. One choice is whether to have a cremation or a traditional burial. Allow the funeral homes in Lakewood, WA to assist you with this.

Based on your feelings and the wishes of your family members, this can be a simple or complicated decision. However, if you decide to cremate, the next question is whether you will bury the cremated remains. While you may wish to scatter cremated remains in a location meaningful to you or a deceased loved one, this may not be the best long-term decision.

There are numerous reasons why cemeteries should be the final resting place for cremated remains.

Some Places Are Present Today but Gone Tomorrow

We’ve all seen movies where family members or friends scatter their loved one’s ashes in a lake, a forest, or another location meaningful to the individual. These special moments can provide a sense of peace at the time. But, as time passes, we realize that nothing in this world is permanent. Lakes can evaporate, and forests can be destroyed by anything from a forest fire to logging or deforestation. Other once peaceful and calm open spaces could be transformed into a loud, bustling shopping center, concrete parking lot, or landfill. The process of scattering cremated remains can also be unpredictable, reducing the event’s impact.

A Permanent Resting Place Is an Advantage

People understandably want to keep their loved ones close, which is why many people bring their family members’ cremated remains home with them. While memories can be made with their urn on a shelf or your fireplace mantle, the problems usually arise after you’re gone. All too frequently, we hear horror stories about ashes being sold at garage sales and people not realizing what is inside until they get home. Other instances occur when people die and their loved ones’ remains are sold as part of an estate or home purchase, leaving the new homeowner to decide what to do with them. In most cases, these people will do something that isn’t in your loved one’s best interests, such as leaving them somewhere meaningless or even throwing the cremated remains away.

Leaving a Legacy That Will Be Passed on to the Next Generation Is Essentialfuneral homes in Lakewood, WA 

Few things are more important to a person’s memory than their legacy and how others remember them. The way your loved one lived their life represents the legacy they wished to leave behind; and it is up to you, as their friend or family member, to protect that on their behalf after they are gone. By burying cremated remains, you provide a permanent resting place for both their cremated remains and their memory. Their name will go down in history as someone who had a significant impact on at least one other person during their lifetime. This legacy will be passed down through generations as you tell your children, their children, and others about their life passions and accomplishments.

If you’d like more information on how funeral homes in Lakewood, WA can help you with this process, please contact us today. You are also welcome to visit our office.