Coping with the death of a loved one is a reality of life that, eventually, everyone will face. Along with the grief may come a few unexpected responsibilities, such as arranging a funeral and deciding between a burial or cremation. While these aren’t easy topics to think about, working through them with close family and friends may help ease your sorrow as you consider how to best honor the person you love. Here’s how to arrive at the right choice.

Selecting Between Burial & Cremation

What Is a Burial?

After a funeral, it is traditional for the deceased to be buried in a plot at your chosen cemetery. The casket is gently lowered into the ground, usually while mourners surround the space to pay their final respects.

This option is not just customary in many cultures but also favored because it allows family and friends to visit in the future. It provides them with a place to sit, reflect, and mourn for as long as they wish. This is particularly important for future generations, as they may wish to visit the grandfather they never met or the parent who passed far too young. There may also be some comfort in selecting an appropriate headstone and honoring the person with a sentimental religious passage, poem, song lyric, phrase, or other meaningful words that convey what the person meant to you.

What Is Cremation?

According to a 2018 report from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), cremation is projected to increase by almost 30% over the next 18 years. The method has surpassed burial as the favored choice since 2015, due to a number of factors. For many, cremation is preferred for religious reasons. Faiths such as Hinduism and Buddhism both practice this method. Others may favor it from a financial perspective. While burial requires the purchase of a coffin and a plot, families need only purchase an urn for a cremation.

Loved ones are also at liberty to honor the deceased by scattering the ashes anywhere that they choose. It may be a place that the person especially loved or a spot that everyone decides on together. The ashes can even be kept in the home if preferred.

What Is the Best Option?

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to planning a funeral and deciding whether to bury or cremate the body. Sometimes people make the decision in advance during funeral pre-planning, which may give the family some comfort in knowing that they’re honoring their loved one’s wishes. Otherwise, consider your family’s history and the deceased’s religious beliefs. These may guide you in the appropriate direction.

At Fred D. Knapp & Son Funeral Home in Greenwich, CT, community means everything. The funeral home has served the area since 1846 and is proud to provide local families with the care, compassion, and information that they need to make informed decisions during periods of grief. You can trust them to answer all of your questions regarding funeral planning, burials, and cremation. Visit the website, or call them at (203) 869-0315 for information.