Fun, Family Activities for Summer

Posted on: 4 November 2015

In this day and age, traditional forms of burial are becoming less and less common. As space becomes harder to find to bury loved ones and that space having a premium price put on it, more and more families are opting for alternative forms of post funeral rituals and rites. The second most common form of post funeral ritual is now cremation, second only to burial. It is predicted that, by the year 2017, cremations will consist of 50% of all post funeral rituals, equaling the number of burials that take place. However, there might be a few things regarding cremation that you did not know about. This article aims to rectify that. Included throughout are 4 facts about cremations that you should know.

It Is Inexpensive

Cremation is one of the cheapest forms of post funeral rituals to which you can commit your loved one. Many people have contributed the rise and proliferation of cremation to the fact that the end of living expenses incurred by their loved ones is quite expensive, and as such, many people cannot afford the extravagances and luxuries that are offered by funeral homes largely offering burial ass their only post funeral option. The average cost of direct cremation is $1,100, which is significantly less than the amount that it generally costs to bury a loved one, which is averaged around $7,750.

It Is Eco-Friendly

Take into consideration what occurs during a burial: one must find a plot of land after having their body pumped full of embalming fluids and liquids, then, that spot must be maintained and, not just for a limited amount of time, either – the burial ground must be maintained indefinitely. As such, cremation offers a much more eco-friendly alternative to burial. Whenever cremation takes place, your loved one's body is essentially reduced to very fine bone fragments (referred to as "ash"). Bone, being a biological component of the human body, is biodegradable. If you're looking for a greener post funeral ritual, cremation might be the answer for which you're looking.

Cremation Is More Complex Than You Think

Most people think cremation is a relatively simple process. That is somewhat true, but most people simply assume that the body is burned. This is not the case. The body is placed into an environment where it is exposed to extreme heat – not fire. The body will then essentially begin to evaporate, becoming chunks of bone and powder. Then, the body is pulverized. This reduces the bone to a fine powder. This fine powder is what most people refer to as "ash". So, while the process of cremation is not particularly complex, it is probably much more involved than what you had assumed occurs.

Portability

In the days when burial was an absolutely dominant form of post funeral ritual, people would assume that they would be buried with the entirety of their family, or, at the very least, their spouse. This required a plot of land for which you would be buried. However, these days many families are quite spread out throughout the country, or even the world. As such, cremation offers families a portable alternative option to burial. After one's "ashes" are created, they can be placed in an urn. The urn can be moved anywhere with the family, ensuring that your family will always be together, even after life has departed.

When it comes to alternative forms of post funeral rituals, you can do very little wrong with cremation. With cremation becoming increasingly popular and burial plots becoming ever more expensive, cremation could be the best choice for you or your loved ones.

Contact a local professional, such as Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral And Cremation Services LTD, for more information.