Funeral Celebrant is an
interesting and relatively new profession. They can help plan a
festive or somber ceremony, and work with families to develop a
eulogy. Some celebrants perform a whole ceremony while some families
prefer to perform a ceremony themselves. Celebrant funerals are
funeral ceremonies that are a true celebration of the departed one’s
life.
Many people are choosing to forgo traditional funerals and cremation
is growing as an alternative to funerals with half or more people
now choosing it. Unlike funerals with the somber process of casket,
service, and internment, the cremation process is more personal,
less costly, as well as more positive and celebratory. Cremation
typically costs less than one fourth the cost of a funeral (if not
done by a funeral home). Most states have cremation societies, which
can take care of paperwork for insurance, VA, Social Security,
obituary, etc., having the body moved to a facility, and assist with
all aspects of the process, just as a funeral director traditionally
did.
Scattering of ashes is now the most popular thing to do with
cremation ashes. Family and friends are having private memorials,
scattering ashes, and having a party in the backyard. In fact, you
can now buy a "Loved One Launcher", which is a CO2 cartridge filled
tube, including confetti that launches ashes into the air. There are
also personalized mementos containing bits of ash used in jewelry,
lockets, pictures, action figures, and more. You can even get an urn
that can be used as a birdhouse after the ashes have been scattered.
Seems like an oxymoron with an action figure made of
ashes.