Why You Should Consider Having a Celebration of Life
Are you looking for an alternative to a traditional funeral following cremation services in Loudonville, NY?
Or you already had a funeral service and felt it doesn’t do justice to how the deceased lived or what they would have preferred.
If you answered yes, then a celebration of life event might be just the thing that does it. Below, we discuss a few reasons it’s worth considering.
1. A celebration of life helps to focus on the positive
Some people misunderstand a celebration of life as an event you hold after grieving the deceased, but this isn’t necessarily the case.
Contrary to such a misconception, people celebrate the lives of their late loved ones as a collective gesture of acknowledging their new reality.
Only it’s with an optimistic outlook, emphasizing the high points in the deceased’s life rather than just being somber over their death.
A common sentiment among people who choose to mark a passing this way is that it is what their deceased would have wanted. If that isn’t reason enough, then what is?
2. You are not limited in style or venue
When planning a typical funeral, certain aspects can’t be discarded.
However, a celebration of life is free of the ritualistic expectations—religious and societal—associated with funerals.
You can get creative in your choices, from venue to music to dress code and the event’s theme. You can go as big or as small as you want.
Everyone that matters can have a hand in the planning. The structure is what you make it, as long as the focus remains on the individual you are celebrating.
3. You can arrange a celebration of life at any time
Unlike funerals, where you have to consider the logistics of caring for the body alongside planning the service, you can take your time with a celebration of life.
It also doesn’t require having the body present, although you may choose to display the urn for cremated remains.
This means it’s okay if you don’t have the funds yet, have loved ones out of town, or need to take some time to process before making arrangements. You get to choose when it happens.
4. It serves the same purpose as a traditional funeral
Not everyone can afford a separate funeral service and a celebration of life, even if they would like to.
However, one can take the liberty of incorporating aspects of both that they like. It would still serve the intended function.
You may have to make compromises, such as having the celebration sooner rather than later. You can also choose to have an afterparty instead of a funeral reception.
The point is, it doesn’t have to be what your guests are used to. But it should bring everyone together to say goodbye and facilitate sharing in one another’s grief.
Like a funeral, a celebration of life allows survivors to relive memories. It’s the last hurrah designed to mark the exit of a loved one, albeit in a relatively light way.
If you are using our Loudonville, NY cremation service, you can benefit from the wealth of experience of our end-of-life celebrations planning team. Call today or visit us to discuss more.
