How to Plan a Celebration of Life
Memorial services have long been established as the “traditional” funeral rite throughout the majority of the United States and Europe. Chances are if you mention the word “funeral” to a passerby on the street in these places they’ll conjure pictures of pallbearers and priests. Films and literature have also helped to promote their ubiquity, as they’ve featured prominently within both for a very long time. You may be surprised to learn, then, that a memorial service isn’t your only option. For any specific questions related to celebrations of life or to work with professionals to plan your own, contact the expert staff at cremation services in Matthews, NC today.
Another choice that’s becoming more and more popular is celebrations of life. These services are similar to funerals in a lot of ways but have some very important differences that make them distinctly different experiences. The most important difference is that celebrations-of-life focus on commemorating the life of the deceased in a celebratory fashion, rather than focusing on departing with the deceased and mourning their passing. They have much more of a mild party atmosphere, generally, and though tears aren’t discouraged, laughter, merrymaking, and cheerful memorials to the beloved dead are the aims of the day.
Read on to learn more about celebrations of life and how to plan one for yourself or a loved one, if you’re interested.
Pick a Theme
Every celebration of life needs a theme or main idea behind it which relates to the deceased in a meaningful, honorable way. Lots of times this theme ties directly to their life’s passion – for instance, an avid angler might choose to stage their celebration around their love of fishing. Other common ideas include using the decedent’s favorite place they visited during their lifetime or a favorite period of time during their life. Whatever the theme, it’s important it honors the celebrant in a fashion that feels familiar and appropriate to friends and family that would attend the celebration of life.
Talk with Family and Friends
Speaking of friends and family, including them in discussions is a critical component in planning the celebration. Invitations should be extended to any willing to participate. An important part of any ceremony, especially those concerned with death or the passing of a loved one, is the act of participation in the preparations for the ceremony. Participation distracts the bereaved from their pain, even momentarily, and also provides them the satisfaction of productive achievement. This
can provide some small measure of desperately needed order and comfort in a time of utter chaos and pain for an individual. Lastly, and more to the point: to create a meaningful celebration that honors the deceased, there are no better-suited individuals than their closest loved ones.
Venue and Logistics
The last step is no less important than the others, but probably one that feels a bit more familiar to most. Like with any other party, all the common logistics must be planned: food, drinks, activities, etc. One aspect important to consider when planning a celebration of life is the location of the event. If at all possible, the location should be somewhere that was meaningful in some way to the deceased.
Celebrations-of-life are only one of many options available today for those interested in non-traditional funeral services and don’t necessarily have to take the place of a traditional service altogether. It’s becoming more popular to incorporate them alongside traditional services, typically scheduled after the interment ceremony, as a way to incorporate some levity into the otherwise dour proceedings.
Whether you’re interested in learning more about celebration-of-life events or if you’re old-fashioned and prefer to stick to the time-tested traditional burial, be sure to reach out to cremation services today to get expert assistance with your end-of-life planning.
You can learn more about cremation services in Matthews, NC. Talk to us at Heritage Funeral and Cremation Services to schedule a consultation and learn more about cremation services/funeral home services. Visit our offices in North Carolina or call one of our locations.
