Funerals: Burial Versus Cremation

Choosing between burial and cremation is a deeply personal decision. It is often guided by budget, family tradition, or religious beliefs. But the choice also dictates the structure of the funeral service itself. Both are valid ways to honor the deceased, but they offer very different experiences and logistics.

The Logistics of a Burial Funeral

A traditional funeral with burial follows a very standard structure. The timing is strict because the body is present and must be cared for. The service usually happens within a week or two of the death.

Visitation and Viewing The process can start with a visitation or a wake. The casket is typically open, allowing friends and family to view the body. This is a chance for people to pay their respects and find closure before the main event, if this is something that the family would like.

The Main Service The main funeral ceremony takes place shortly after the viewing. It is often held in a church or religious institution or the funeral home. The casket is present for this service. These ceremonies are often structured around religious or cultural traditions.

The Committal After the service, family and friends usually form a procession to the cemetery. A brief ceremony called the committal service is held at the graveside. This is the final farewell and the moment the body is laid to rest in the ground. This entire structure is built around the body being present throughout.

The Flexibility of a Cremation Funeral

Cremation offers much more flexibility for the service. You can separate the final disposition from the memorial event. This separation gives families a little more freedom in scheduling and location.

Service with the Body Present You can still hold a traditional service before the cremation. The body can be present in a casket for a viewing and the main ceremony, just like a burial service. After this full service is over, the body is taken to the crematory. This satisfies the need for a traditional viewing if this is required while still choosing cremation.

The Memorial Service The most common option is to have the cremation first. Then, the family holds a memorial service later. The body is not present. Instead, the urn with the ashes may be displayed. This structure is very beneficial for a few reasons. It removes the time pressure immediately after the death. The family can hold the memorial weeks or months later. This allows relatives and friends who must travel a long distance time to plan and attend. Memorial services are often less formal than traditional funerals. They can be held anywhere, like a park, a favorite restaurant, or a family home.

The Final Resting Place

Burial results in a permanent, fixed place to visit. The cemetery plot provides a headstone or monument that family members can return to. This is a very important part of the grieving process for many people.

Cremation offers many choices for the final resting place. The family can keep the ashes in an urn. They can scatter the ashes in a place that was meaningful to the deceased. They can even divide the ashes among several family members. For those who want a fixed place to visit, ashes can still be buried in a small plot at a cemetery. Or they can be placed in a columbarium, which is a vault designed to hold urns. This allows for a dedicated memorial without the expense and space required for a traditional burial plot. NB: please always check the local laws and practices around where you are allowed to scatter ashes before making plans.

Environmental Considerations

Some people choose cremation for environmental reasons. Cremation avoids disturbing land and does not require the use of embalming chemicals, like formaldehyde, which can seep into the soil. However, cremation does use energy and fuel. Traditional burial takes up land and may involve non-biodegradable caskets or vaults. Ultimately, if this is something important to you, both options have an environmental impact. The decision is personal and should reflect the deceased's values and the needs of the surviving family.