Celebration of life ideas
Most of us are quite familiar with the traditional funeral service. Chances are you’ve attended at least one before. Formal services tend to be quite similar in their formats – though any funeral home worth its salt will personalize one as much as requested – and while there’s certainly an allowance for joy in remembrance, they tend to be somewhat solemn events that focus on respect and reflection.
At our funeral home, we hold the traditional funeral service in high regard. We know that such gatherings are often the most appropriate and appreciated way to honor a lost loved one.
We’ve also noticed a different type of ceremony becoming more popular over time: the celebration of life. A celebration of life ceremony is the non-traditional cousin of the traditional funeral service. Held either in place of or after a memorial service, its purpose is to acknowledge the joy and light a passed loved one brought into the world. Guests have the opportunity to say goodbye by sharing positive stories, passing along memories, and, well, celebrating the person who passed away.
Celebrations often don’t incorporate the physical presence of the deceased in an urn or casket, and they typically aren’t held in funeral homes or religious buildings.
The one real rule for holding a celebration of life ceremony is that there are no rules. A decedent may have already specified for her family what type of celebration should take place. (My family, for example, knows that they should spend as little as possible on things like a rented facility or formal programs, but they should spare no expense when it comes to pizza, beer, and board games.) Family members who were close to the decedent will often have a good idea of how casual the celebration should be and which details make the most sense.
Keeping in mind that there are no requirements, here are some things to think about when planning a celebration of life:
Who?
Consider who you’ll invite to help you celebrate. Some celebrations are very intimate, restricted to just immediate or close family. But a large celebration incorporating all the same people who would attend a traditional service is also an option.
Where?
Once you have a rough idea of how many guests to expect, determine a location for the ceremony. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. I once had a friend who celebrated the life of her lost spouse with a simple gathering of friends around a campfire. Celebrations of life can be held at a home, restaurant, park, banquet hall, or some other spot of particular significance. Just make sure whichever place you pick can hold the number of people who will likely attend.
How?
What is the best way to honor and celebrate your loved one? Celebrations can incorporate an officiant, who will speak to the group about the life of the decedent and nudge the ceremony along. If the gathering will be more informal, an officiant and programs may not be necessary. Instead, you might consider designating a Family Member in Charge, who will be responsible for leading the group in telling stories about the departed.
Other great ideas for remembrance include picture boards or scrapbooks, a remembrance video, readings from the decedent’s favorite literature, the incorporation of the decedent’s favorite music, and a selection of crowd-pleasing food that honors the decedent’s tastes.
Truly, the options for celebrating the life of somebody you held dear are limitless.
A note on party (pre)planning: We talk about preplanning for the inevitable a lot in our industry. But we do understand that planning for death isn’t always the happiest of tasks. Here’s where we’re especially excited about celebrations of life:
Planning parties is fun. Picking out balloons, thinking about food, and finding all the details to make an event really special – these are things that have positive associations in American culture. (Heck, just take a look at how much excitement is generated by the wedding-planning industry.) Celebrations of life present an interesting opportunity to think about death arrangements in advance with the undertone of fun and joy. If you have a friend or relative who has been unwilling to discuss his future arrangements, talking to him about a celebration of life may spark a conversation that doesn’t overwhelm or intimidate him.
Have you attended a celebration of life ceremony before? What did you think? Send us your thoughts on Facebook
, and we might include them in a future post or newsletter.
When you’re planning services and arrangements for a loved one, the options and choices may be overwhelming. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel, our team is here to help guide you through this difficult time with quality, compassionate services, and individualized attention. If you’re considering cremation in your end-of-life plans or for a loved one, here are four reasons our team recommends this option.
When it comes to funeral services and memorial services, many people have questions that are difficult to ask. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel, our team is here to assist families and individuals through the death of a loved one with compassionate, informative services. Here are four common questions our team receives about cremation services.
Different cultures around the world deal with death in different ways. Many choose to have a cremation or burial ceremony just like in the U.S., however, there are some funeral ceremonies that are drastically different than what people in the U.S. are accustomed to. In today’s blog here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, we talk about other beautiful funeral ceremony traditions and where they are popular. Learn more about our funeral home services here at Bohlender Funeral Chapelin Fort Collins and get help planning the perfect celebration of life for your loved one. New Orleans Jazz Funerals You might be thinking, “Well, New Orleans is in the U.S.!” — and you’re right. But, that doesn’t mean that they can’t have unique funeral ceremony traditions. Not everyone in New Orleans has a jazz funeral, but anyone can request one if they’d like. However, most jazz funerals are held for musicians. In a traditional jazz funeral, the funeral ceremony begins at the church or funeral home and is then led to the cemetery by a marching band. The music starts off slow and heavy while everyone is walking to the cemetery. Once the body is buried and people are on the way back from the cemetery, the music becomes upbeat and celebratory to honor and celebrate the departed. Anyone and everyone nearby are encouraged to join as long as they are respectful and courteous. Eternal Reefs Eternal Reefs is a Florida-based company that has taken a completely new approach to funerals. Eternal Reefs takes cremated remains and places them in an environmentally safe concrete urn. The urn is created in such a way that it creates new habitats for marine wildlife. This makes it so that you or your loved one become a part of a coral reef and help to support new life. Eternal Reefs are a great way to commemorate your loved one and help them make the world a better place. Even though there are no oceans or coral reefs here in Fort Collins, that doesn’t stop our family at Bohlender Funeral Chapelfrom offering a funeral ceremony that is beneficial for the family and the earth. We are proud to offer our green burial funeral service, learn more about it here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel. Burial Beads In certain areas of the world, there is very limited space for burials and other traditional funeral ceremony practices. One method that South Korea has been practicing regularly is the burial bead funeral ceremony. With burial beads, cremated remains are pressed into beautiful beads that closely resemble that of jewelry or pearls. A wide variety of colors and urn options are available. This is a way for the people of South Korea to find beauty from a difficult situation while also making use of the limited space. The Philippines All across the Philippines, funeral ceremonies vary wildly. There are more than nine very different funeral traditions across the country. Some of the more poetic and beautiful traditions include tree burials and hanging coffins. Tree Burials Tree burials are most commonly practiced in the Cavite region of the Philippines. Cavite is located about 10 miles from the bustling Manila and they have still managed to maintain their unique funeral ceremony customs. Tree burials are where the person who expects their time is limited will go and select the tree of their choice. Once the tree is selected and the person’s days are numbered, a small shelter is built near the tree for them to live in. When they pass, they are entombed upright into the selected tree. Hanging Coffin In the Sagada region of the Philippines, coffins are often hung off the sides of cliffs or on the walls of high-up caves. The elderly or sick craft their own caskets by hand if they are able and once they have moved on, they are placed in the casket they created and hung high. They are placed next to their ancestors and loved ones as high off the ground as possible. This is because the native people believe that the higher the dead are to heaven, the easier their journey will be. This is a tradition that has been performed for thousands for years and will likely continue for years to come. Fantasy Coffins Ghana is a country in Africa where people have taken to a funeral ceremony called fantasy coffins. Fantasy coffins are unique coffins that help to represent who the person was in their life. For example, someone who was a fisherman their whole life may choose to be buried in a fish coffin. Or someone who had a love for books and novels may choose to be buried in a book-shaped coffin. These are fun and lighthearted ways to memorialize and celebrate the life of the dearly departed.  We hope that you learned something new and got valuable insight into other culture’s funeral ceremony customs. If you would like to learn more about the funeral services we offer here at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are a family-owned funeral home with a passion for helping people in any way we can. We offer invaluable healing experiences for you and your family through our cremation service, burial service, funeral flowers, and much more.
Planning a funeral can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to budgeting for the various expenses involved. At Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins, we understand the importance of honoring a loved one while managing financial responsibilities. Let us help you navigate the funeral planning process, ensuring you can create a meaningful celebration that respects your loved one’s memory without stretching your finances. Then start the pre-planning process with us today.
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