In recent years, families have begun to turn away from traditional burial services and instead hold alternative services. A celebration of life is an emerging service that more and more families are now choosing to honor their loved one and say goodbye. With less people having strong religious ties or beliefs, a celebration of life allows the deceased’s family to include more joyous and personalized elements in the service. Much like a funeral service, this type of service is used to honor the deceased and allow friends and loved ones to say goodbye.
Rather than an emotional service that is filled with sadness, a celebration of life service tries to celebrate the accomplishments and positive memories of the deceased. Guests are invited to celebrate a life well lived and share stories and positive experiences they shared with the deceased. Freedom to be creative is one of the biggest factors that have helped the popularity of celebrations of life. Things like choice of music, decorations and more are all ways that families are able to celebrate their loved one’s personality, values and passions.
The biggest and often most cited reason people hold a celebration of life service is personalization. Many people are no longer interested in holding a traditional funeral that follows religious customs especially if the deceased was not an overly religious person. A celebration of life service allows you to create a meaningful and personalized celebration that reflects the personality of the deceased.
A second benefit of holding a celebration of life is convenience. Unlike a funeral service that must occur before the body is cremated or buried, a celebration of life occurs after the remains have been cared for. This allows the family more time to plan the event but also schedule it around a time that is convenient for everyone. It is not uncommon for families to hold the event days, weeks, or even months after the body is cared for.
If you’re unsure how to begin planning a celebration of life, don’t worry, we’re here to help. Planning a celebration of life doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult. During the planning process, try to include other family members and brainstorm ideas. Not only will this lessen your workload, it will also help others grieve and feel like they’ve done their part to honor a loved one.
The first thing you need to think about is a budget. How much can your family afford to spend? Once a budget has been established, you can start to look at different options for the service.
Next, it’s time to look at where and when. Most families will typically hold the celebration of life service at the funeral home. However, it’s also common for people to plan events at a family members’ home, a park, or somewhere else that was special to the deceased.
Once a venue has been selected and a budget is set, you can start to think about guests, what the service will include, and how you want to make it special. Some celebrations include an officiant and others do not, the choice is totally up to you. Some families choose to have someone move the ceremony along and others hold a more informal party with guests just interacting and sharing stories. This is also when you can begin to think about things like pictures, decorations, music, and food.