Cremation Vs. Traditional Funerals

Whether you’re preplanning for your own passing or dealing with a more recent loss, choosing between cremation and more traditional funeral home services in Levittown, PA can be tough. The decision involves balancing the deceased and other family member’s wishes, religious concerns, budget, and many other factors. The best way to make the right decision for you and your family is by having all the information, so read on to learn more about the differences between cremations and more traditional funeral home services.

First of all, many religions require a traditional burial. Burials can also help bring family, friends and members of the religious community together during a time of loss. Burials are also traditional for a reason, and lots of families have long histories of burial. Honoring that tradition is a wonderful way to bring the family together.

Also, burials offer a lot of closure through viewing the body and witnessing it put to rest. This process can be comforting and may feel natural to some people for moving through the grieving process. In addition, a body buried in a family plot or cemetery allows for a specific memorial location, allowing for family and loved ones to return to honor the deceased’s memory.

Do keep in mind, though, that burials can get expensive, depending on factors like embalming, dressing and preparing the deceased for viewing, a casket, a hearse, visitation, funeral ceremonies, and more. Also, burials require a lot of planning, and that can be time consuming and emotionally draining during a time of loss.

The most important thing to remember with burials is that they need to happen within a few days of death, potentially making it hard for out of town guests to make it in time.

When thinking about funeral homes and cremations, it’s important to remember that cremations can be lot less expensive than burials. Burials also take up space in the ground, and embalming is bad for the environment.

Cremated ashes do not decompose, so if you’re having a memorial after the cremation its much easier to schedule and plan for out of town guests. In addition, there are tons of options for planning a personalized, unique and special memorial with cremated remains.

However, some religions and cultures are against cremation, and some people feel that cremation might lead to a lack of closure, as a formal funeral provides a specific time to say goodbye and a permanent burial spot allows for grief to be localized. Also, cremation cannot be undone, while buried bodies can possible be exhumed if necessary.

Choosing between cremations and more traditional funeral home services and burials is a personal, so be sure to talk to your family and loved ones about how you’re feeling regarding the choice, and get feedback.

If you want to learn more about Levittown, PA funeral homes, please contact J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel. You can visit us at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, or give us a call at (215) 295-7725 for more information.