Monthly Archives: April 2019

funeral homes in Levittown, PA

Funeral Homes and Celebrants

Celebrants are not a new addition to the funeral home scene, but many people may not have heard about them, before. Read on to learn more about celebrants and what they do at funeral homes in Levittown, PA to see if they’re right for you.

A funeral celebrant is a qualified Master of Ceremonies that helps to officiate funeral services by planning, overseeing and carrying out the proceedings. They can host both religious and non-religious funerals. They are called celebrants because most people aim for the funeral service to be a celebration of the deceased’s life. This celebratory approach puts more emphasis on a life well lived, unique traits, and special memories rather than grief and loss. A celebrant can help you craft unique funeral services with substance, personalization and meaning.

Read also: Arranging Cremation Services

You should hire a funeral celebrant if you want someone to take charge of hosting and speaking during the funeral. Celebrants are more flexible and open to new things that traditional funeral hosts like ministers or priests, so you can add more customization to the service. A celebrant can also help you come up with ideas for this customization. This help can be very meaningful during a difficult time of loss.

While most funeral homes can recommend a celebrant, it’s a good idea to also do some research on your own. Make a list of possibilities, do some Googling, then call each one to get your questions answered. If you need more information, feel free to meet with your options in person to get a better feel for what they can bring to the table. During your first meeting with a potential celebrant, explain what kind of funeral you want, and how much you’d like him to be involved in the proceedings.

While vetting potential celebrants, think about and ask the following questions to get a better idea of what they offer:

  • Do you make house calls?
  • How much do you charge?
  • How often to you host funerals? How many a week?
  • What’s the best way to reach you? How often are you available?
  • Can you provide me with a funeral script?
  • Can I have referrals from previous clients?
  • Do you have any additional fees?

Remember, your funeral celebrant is there to help you, and should, therefore, be willing to work with you to develop the funeral services you want. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, as the right celebrant will be more than willing to help out in any way he can.

Hiring a funeral celebrant is an out-of-the-box way to make sure your loved one’s funeral or service is unique, celebratory and respectful. There are celebrants for hire all over Levittown, but not everyone is a good choice. J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel, located at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, can give you information on local celebrants as well as funeral homes in Levittown, PA. Please give us a call at (215) 295-7725 to learn more about what we can do for you.

cremation services in Yardley, PA

Green Cremation Services

From the melting polar ice caps and crazy weather patterns to sad polar bears and more, it seems like environmental consciousness is always on the mind. Luckily, there are tons of ways everyday people can do their part for the environment, from recycling and reducing plastic use to sustainable energy sources. There are also ways to make cremation services in Yardley, PA greener, so you can be green even in death.   

The traditional cremation method does have slight environmental impact as is requires the burning of fossil fuels achieve the intense heat necessary to break down a body. However, it is better than traditional burial as it doesn’t involve embalming or other harsh pollutants being put into the ground.   

There are other greener cremation services available thanks to modern advancements and awareness. Green cremation services take a few more steps to make the entire process cleaner and more eco-friendly. Green cremations, or natural cremations and eco-cremations, use no harmful or toxic chemicals to treat or embalm the body. This reduces the amount of harmful gases released during the cremation.   

Another type of green cremation service is bio-cremation. Bio-cremation uses alkaline hydrolysis, or water resolution, to break down the body. The body is put inside a special chamber filled with potassium hydroxide, water, heat and pressure for a few hours. Over time, the elemental combination break down the body into bone fragments just like traditional cremation services. The remains from bio-cremation can be scattered or buried just like traditional remains. Bio-cremation uses much less fossil fuel and energy, and does not let off as much gas or emissions. As its still a fairly new method, bio-cremation is not readily available and may be more expensive.   

You personally can take steps to make cremation services greener. A few ways you can help out are:  

  • Remove any dental fillings before the cremation. When dental amalgams are burned, they release a lot of harmful mercury gas into the air. BY removing the amalgams before the cremation, you are helping prevent these emissions.  
  • Choose to scatter the remains post-cremation. Buried remains use up ground space with caskets, and any chemicals leftover from the process could seep into the ground. Scattering takes up less space!  
  • Use eco-friendly cremation caskets. These are specially built to not release any harmful gases or chemicals when burned, over traditional caskets that are made with chemicals and products that do not burn well. 
  • If you do choose to bury the remains, do so in a natural urn or container that breaks down naturally. Choose a receptacle made out of handmade paper or Himalayan rock salt. 

Do you want to learn more about how you can make greener body disposition choices? Contact J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel. We offer a wide range of Yardley, PA cremation services, and we would love to discuss your green and traditional options for body disposition. Please visit us at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, or give us a call today at (215) 295-7725.  

funeral home in Langhorne, PA

Funeral Home Etiquette

It’s never easy being in a funeral home in Langhorne, PA, but its made even more difficult by the rules and etiquette. From how to dress and where to sit to what to say and everything in between, its hard to know exactly what the proper etiquette is, especially when it comes to being respectful of the proceedings and family members.   

Use this guide to help you be better prepared for how to act in a funeral home. 

  • Attire – Funeral homes are serious places, and your attire should be as well. Unless otherwise noted or dictated by culture, keep your clothing conservative and in darker colors.  
  • Seating – The first two rows of seats are oftentimes reserved for the close friends and family, but other than that the seating plans are usually open. Try and remain seated throughout the service, unless dictated by the MC. This same basic rule applies to a graveside service, as the chairs right by the grave are typically reserved for family.  
  • Distractions – Turn off your phone. If you don’t want to turn if off completely, at least put it on silent or Do Not Disturb for the duration of the service. If you must take a call, do step outside as looking down at your phone or checking messages inside the funeral home is disrespectful. Along those same lines, people often do not bring children to funeral homes for fear they will be a distraction or disruption. Use your best judgment with your child, but toddlers and babies should generally stay at home with a sitter. 
  • Religion – Funeral homes can be religious places during services, and this may make some people uncomfortable. If the ceremony has religious aspects that do not match your own or make you uncomfortable, simply remain silent and respectfully engaged. Remember, you are there to honor the deceased not make a religious statement. 
  • Communication – There might not be many chances for you to speak with the family of the deceased at the funeral home, but if you do have an opportunity be sure to take it. All you need to do is express sympathy for their loss. If you knew the deceased well and feel it’s appropriate, you may say something more personal about the deceased. However, keep it short and simple as the family most likely has lots of other guests to attend to.  

These are common rules that should guide your actions. However, they don’t always apply to every funeral. Use your best judgment, and always try and follow the family’s lead when it comes to etiquette. When in doubt, lean in towards the conservative side.  

Do you want to learn more about funeral homes or etiquette? J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel can help. Located at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, we have years of Langhorne, PA funeral home experience at your disposal. Give us a call today at (215) 295-7725 for more information about what we can do for you.  

cremation in Levittown, PA

Cool Cremation Products 

You can buy almost anything these days, from selfie sticks for your pet to air fryers and beyond. Did you know that there are also lots of cool products you can buy for a cremation in Levittown, PA?   

You can find cremation products that are not only cool, but can also can make your loved one’s cremation and service much more unique, memorable and creative. This creativity helps make the services respectful for the deceased and meaningful for the living.   

Some of these products are used before the cremation takes place:  

  • Thumbies: A Thumbie is a custom jewelry or pendant piece that creates a lasting imprint of the deceased’s fingerprint, footprint or handprint.  Special Thumbie artists use a cast or image of the actual print to create these lovely keepsakes. You can choose different finishes including silver or gold to make the piece even more unique.  
  • Remembrance Jewelry: Similar to Thumbies, remembrance jewelry holds part of the deceased inside, so you can carry it with you wherever you go. You can use a small lock of hair, cremated remains, or even soil from somewhere meaningful to be placed inside a locket, bracelet or other jewelry piece.   
  • Cremation Caskets: You do need a rigid container in which the body will be cremated. Crematoriums provide a basic container, but you can opt to purchase a more elaborate or special cremation casket to make the cremation more special.  

You can also find products that allow for personalization after the cremation like:  

  • Urns: You may choose to keep the deceased’s ashes in an urn. There are many different shapes, styles, colors and sizes of urns to choose from, so it’s not that hard to find one that suits your preferences and needs. Some urns are basic but dignified, while others are personalized with engravings, paintings and other decoration. 
  • Memorial Stationary: Make the cremation service itself even more special with custom stationary featuring photos of the deceased, meaningful quotes, or a simple decoration. You can use this stationary for the guest book at the service, or to write thank you cards on later. You can also find memorial folders, registry books, bookmarks, prayer cards, acknowledgement cards and more.  
  • Final Resting Place: There are lots of creative and special ways to put a cremated loved one to rest. These include:  
  • Scattering: Scatter your loved one’s remains freely outdoors. You may also hire a specialist to scatter them in the ocean or even in the sky.  
  • Columbarium: You may house the deceased in an outdoor niche above ground designed to hold urns.  

These are just a few of the cremation product options available. If you want to learn more about these and similar products, or if you have questions about Levittown, PA cremations, J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel can help. Located at 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, we offer a range of products and services. Please give us a call at (215) 295-7725 for more information.