For decades, funerals have largely remained a traditional affair. But now as times are changing, perhaps more rapidly than ever before, funerals have started to change too – with many opting for more unique send offs as part of their funeral plan.
These unique send offs can be small but personal additions to the standard traditional funeral process, or complete variations from what is usually expected.
Whilst grief doesn’t change, attitudes towards death and even mourning may be changing in hopes to stray from the sombretowards more positive celebrations of life.
In this article, we’ll explore some of this new wave of more personalised funerals and tributes…
Nature Inspired and Green Funerals
As people become more environmentally conscious in the things they do, whether that’s purchases they make, food they eat, or even the way they travel, they want their funeral to more accurately represent the way they lived. This is where eco-friendly green funerals come in.
Perfect for a person who loved nature, eco funerals may involve gatherings outdoors, perhaps in approved parks or gardens.
There are options for eco-friendly burials, including environmentally friendly plots and coffins that are biodegradable. For cremations, there are also biodegradable urns that are water soluble and designed for water burials where the urn will float briefly before dissolving into the water along with the ashes.
There may also be a tree planting ceremony, where a tree is planted in the memory of the deceased and symbolises new life and growth as a tribute that will last for generations. Perhaps this could be used as a modern day, eco version of using a headstone, additionally, this works for both burial orcremation.
Personalised Memorials
Personalised memorial ideas lightly stray away from tradition, instead offering their own takes on something you would usually expect at a funeral or wake.
Rather than a casket display, instead a “memory table” is created and usually found at the wake. The table will be adorned with photos, mementos, perhaps even notable belongings of the deceased such as a childhood toy or an instrument, for example.
People can come up to the table and have a look, it might make them think of memories they shared with the person. There may also be a book, similar to weddings, where funeral attendees can write down messages and memories.
You could also offer guests personal keepsakes to take home and keep as a lasting reminder of the deceased.
Creative Ceremonies and Themes
Did the deceased live a creative life? Did they have creative family or friends? Use this fact to encourage close attendees to express grief and memories through artistic tributes. This could mean photography, art, music, writing, etc.
Grief and death can inspire some beautiful works, and many songs, albums, films, and other works of art prove this.
In the spirit of creativity, you could also use the deceased’s interests or creative interests to create a theme. For example, was the deceased a music lover? Why not add a gig or festival theme to the celebration of life, play their favourite music, and wear things like band T-shirts.
Other themes can include a beach gathering, barbecue, costume party in the deceased’s honour (maybe they loved cosplaying).
You can choose to go all out or plan to have a subtle theme running through the entire service and wake. It could even be as simple as serving their favourite food, like pizza.
Other tributes you can make include releasing balloons or lanterns into the sky, these could be accompanied by personal messages or wishes.
Technology in Funerals
As technology evolves, so have funeral processes. It is quite common to now have a livestream option for the service, so that distant friends and family that could not make the trip due to health, time, distance, etc. can still attend the funeral virtually.
Some people even create digital tributes. Sometimes online communities who play multiplayer games together makefriends, yet never meet in real life, end up holding virtual memorials, services, or funerals for the deceased, which is entirely possible in certain video games.
Even a small tribute can pay honour to their memory. There are stories of people who have passed and then been immortalised, referenced, or paid tribute in video games.
Final Thoughts
As times are changing, so are funerals. There’s nothing wrong with staying traditional, but there’s also nothing wrong with straying from tradition either. And by speaking to a good funeral director, you’ll find a professional that is very open to creating a unique tribute.
They’ll also be able to offer advice, suggestions, and even some ideas, ensuring you give your loved one the perfect send off.
