Funerals at funeral homes in Yardley, PA are somber events, leaving many people feeling worse afterwards instead of better. However, the act of holding a service is very important for the grieving and healing process, and that’s where celebrations of life come in.

But what is a celebration of life? A celebration of life, as the name denotes a celebration, so guests should expect a joyful event. Many people choose to hold a celebration of life in order to celebrate their lost loved one’s life rather than mourn their loss. These services are often more like parties than funerals, commemorating the deceased’s life. Funerals are generally more subdued events at which people speak in hushed tones and have subdued manners. Celebrations of life are usually more casual with the emphasis on the positives of the person’s life rather than the sadness of their passing.

Celebrations of life are most commonly held at someone’s home, a garden, park, or a rented venue, unlike funerals that are held at funeral homes and churches. However, many funeral homes are starting to offer celebration of life services. Similar to memorial services, these events are held after the cremation or burial, while some choose to hold them a year after the death as an anniversary commemoration.

Think of a celebration of life as a more upbeat memorial service. The choice to have a celebration of life instead of a funeral is usually at the behest of the deceased but can also be based on the bereaved’s personality. There really are no hard and fast rules about what celebrations of life should be. They can be whatever the bereaved and the deceased want them to be. If you’re looking for inspiration for a celebration of life, you can:

1. make a playlist of the deceased’s favorite music or songs to play at the event
2. display some of the deceased’s prized possessions like collections, photos, or even clothing
3. encourage guests to share funny and happy memories as well as poignant ones.
4. ask friends and family to share their happy memories
5. have people bring photos and mementos
6. make a memory box or book and ask guests to write comments, memories, or leave mementos
7. play a video or slide show of photos and video clips of the deceased

Since celebrations of life are unlike funerals, they require different attire other than funerals. Generally, the bereaved ask celebration of life guests to wear more casual, bright or upbeat clothing to mark the happier tone of the occasion. Guests can also send flowers to bring color and life to the event, or to honor an aspect of the deceased’s life such as colors of a favorite sports team or an alma mater. No matter what you plan for your lost loved one’s celebration of life it should be positive and a chance to remember the best of the deceased’s life.

J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel can help you plan a service for your lost loved one with our expert Yardley, PA funeral home services. Call or visit us today to learn more.

There is a lot to do after a loved one passed away, including planning a funeral at a funeral home in Trenton, NJ and notifying the basic institutions and people of the death, such as credit cards, utilities, government programs and other institutions needs to know when someone dies. Use this list to help make sure you don’t miss any important institutions or people when notifying after a death:

• Insurance – Notify all the insurance companies with which the deceased had policies. Each company will have specific steps you will need to follow.
• Social Security Administration – Luckily, Social Security will be notified automatically when you file the death certificate.
• Credit Reporting Agencies – These agencies are usually notified of a death by the estate executor or the Social Security Administration. It’s important that credit reporting agencies are notified so they can put a lock on the deceased’s credit report file in order to prevent someone from using it fraudulently.
• Employer – Contact the deceased’s employer to notify them of the death and to learn about any applicable death benefits, retirement funds, or life insurance. Have a copy of the death certificate ready when you call.
• Banks – Most banks will need a copy of the death certificate to close accounts. However, it takes a lot longer than you would think to close bank accounts after a death, so don’t rely on money from a closed account to pay for a funeral or cremation.
• Retirement Fund or Pension – Be ready with the deceased’s Social Security number, identification number, date of birth and date of death, along with a death certificate when you call to notify the fund. Don’t forget to ask if a surviving spouse is eligible for continued benefits.
• Medicare and Medicaid – Similar to the SSA, these organizations will be notified automatically.
• Loans and Credit Cards – The Credit Card Act of 2009 mandates that all credit card companies respond to final bill requests in a timely manner and prohibits them from charging late fees during the processing time. Pay back loans from the deceased’s estate.

Don’t forget to cancel all utilities and bills. Cancel or change the name on all utility accounts, depending on if the deceased lived alone or not. Call the electricity, gas, telephone, and internet providers to make the necessary account changes. You will need a death certificate as proof.

Be sure to cancel subscriptions like gym, magazines, clubs, online content, and others as well.

This is especially true if the subscription payments are paid automatically every month as you don’t want the deceased’s bank account to be overdrawn. Also, death doesn’t mean the deceased doesn’t have to pay taxes for that year. A survivor will have to file the deceased’s taxes or will have to hire an accountant to do it for them.

J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel can offer more information on our Trenton, NJ funeral home services and more. Call today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.