Burial has been the traditional way of disposal of the deceased for ages, but there is a shift in the trend in the past decade with more and more Americans opting for a cremation. Because of the belief in resurrection in the Christian faith, burial had been the way to go for centuries. But perceptions have changed over time, and cremation has started gaining ground, mainly because it is a welcome alternative to the expensive funeral home services.
Process of cremation
The process of cremation involves burning of the deceased in a crematorium, and the remains or the ash that is left is given to the mourning family. They are free to do as they please with the ashes of loved ones. Some prefer to scatter it in a memorable location of special significance, such as a place the deceased loved to visit, after obtaining the relevant permissions. Others might wish to store it in a fancy urn and display it at their home in the memory of the dead. There are also people who would want to spread the remains in the sea or in the air.
Why is cremation preferred
This practice makes more sense for the modern American, as families move around a lot over generations and booking a burial plot at the family town is no longer a viable option. Hence, cremation becomes a more sensible option cost-wise, and it does not involve all the additional costs generally associated with a burial and funeral. This includes embalming, casket, headstone and other endless expenses which are altogether absent in the case of a direct cremation. The body is encased in a simple container and transported to the crematorium for burning and hence can cost as less as $1000.
Then the family can organize a memorial service after the cremation even at their home without much fanfare as it is in the case of a funeral. This again not just saves cost, but is also more comfortable for the mourning family to deal with the unfortunate circumstance. Since so many families are opting for cremation, funeral homes have started reinventing themselves to stay in business and started offering cremation services as well apart from their traditional funeral services.
To conclude, cremation costs are much less compared to the traditional burial. Also, this is much simpler, as the body to be cremated is directly taken to the crematorium after the formalities or paperwork is completed. A memorial service can be planned flexibly and the service can be extended to weeks or months. The service can be arranged in such a way that many people can gather and pay their respects through poetry, scriptural passages, quotes from literature, music, photos, and more.