The First Decision: Cremation or Burial

The First Decision: Cremation vs. Burial

Learn the Difference of Cremation vs. Burial

This is one of the major questions which must be addressed when a death occurs, and the answer usually depends on a variety of things. We encourage all families to consider whichever option suits them best at the time of need. Learn the differences of burial and cremation and educate yourself before you make your final decision.

Why Choose Cremation

Cremation has been a part of the human experience for a very long time, and is the preferred method of caring for a loved one in many parts of the world. While we could recite statistics on the rising popularity of cremation in North America and other nations, they really won’t mean very much to you. After all, who picks cremation just because everyone else is doing so? 

1. Cost

On average, cremation is generally 45-50% cheaper than burial. Cremation allows you to avoid the big purchases of items like a headstone and a casket.

2. Environmental Concerns

Cremation is considered to be more environmentally friendly than burial. Often the deceased is embalmed using harsh chemicals for a wake before he/she is buried. People have been critical that these chemicals can seep through a casket and create water and soil pollution. Secondly, burial plots take up land space and disturbs the Earth to inter a casket. Crematories do release carbon emissions into the air, but new technology is really starting to reduce the amount and impact.

3. Simplicity

Often times, when people choose a traditional funeral they choose to have their loved one buried as well. In contrast, cremation is more associated with memorial services and celebrations of life. A traditional funeral involves many more components such as a wake, gathering pallbearers, organizing a mass with a church, coordinating the burial with the cemetery, and much more. Memorial service and celebrations of life can be much simpler if you choose them to be. Since these ceremonies are more based on what you want and are less about common rituals, you can choose just how complicated and sophisticated the ceremonies are.

4. Cemetery Availability

Plots at cemeteries are becoming more and more scarce. The cemetery you wish to be buried may not have plots available when you pass. Also, since the supply of burial plots shrinks the cost of them has been on the rise. Cremation allows you to avoid the trouble of finding a plot.

5. Flexibility

With burial, you are either interred underground in a plot or above ground in a mausoleum. With cremation, you have several options in terms of what you can do with your loved one’s ashes. You can scatter your loved one’s ashes, store them in an urn, hold a small portion of it in memorial jewelry, blast them as apart of fireworks, mix them into the ink of a tattoo, and do some many other creative things with ashes.

6. Religions are Becoming Less Strict

Many people are starting to move away from tradition due to religions having a more relaxed stance on cremation. Catholics believe that the soul is immortal and does not depend on the physical body. Since cremation of the deceased's remains do not affect his or her soul, according to the Church, there are no doctrinal objections to the practice (Bryner, 2016). The less strict beliefs of the Catholic church are becoming another reason that people are choosing cremation rather than burial.

If any of these reasons ring true for you and your family, then cremation may be the perfect alternative for your loved one.

Decisions You Must Make When Choosing Cremation

  • Who will perform the cremation?
  • Should you purchase an urn?
  • What kind of remembrance ceremony would you like to have?
  • What will you do with the cremated remains?
You may wish to keep the remains at your home for a time, until you feel ready to let go of them, or when all family members can be present for a scattering ceremony.

Our professional Funeral Directors can advise you on unique ways to memorialize a loved one using the cremated remains, including the creation of art glass objects. We also offer a wide selection of cremation keepsake jewelry.

We can also recommend firms in the area that specialize in scattering the cremated remains at sea, or in the air.

Call us today to explore cremation options, and the many creative ways you can memorialize a loved one either before, or after, the cremation has occurred.

When Choosing Burial

For thousands of years, burial has been a traditional means of caring for the physical remains of a loved one. Historical precedence is one thing, but for you, burial may simply be the tradition of your family. When burial is chosen, your loved one may be:
  • Interred in the ground in a regulated cemetery, or if local legislation allows, on private property
  • Entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum
  • Buried at sea
cremation vs burial

It's a Deeply Personal Decision

Even if it isn’t what your family has commonly done over the years, there are many personal reasons you may have to choose burial over cremation. These could include:
  • Religious or geographical preferences
  • An aversion to the cremation practice of using flame to reduce the remains to ash
  • You wish to erect a monument in honour of your loved one
  • You wish to have a natural location where you can visit, graced with trees and open spaces

Decisions and Costs

If you think that burial is the right choice for your family, there are some important decisions you must make. For example:
  • Do you wish the body to be embalmed?
  • What kind of casket and burial vault would you prefer?
  • Which cemetery would you select, and do they have space available?
  • What type of monument, headstone or grave marker would you like?
  • What words would you like to put on the headstone, marker, or monument?
Remember that each of these decisions involve related costs which may impact your final decision. These include:
  • Selection of the casket and protective burial vault required by the cemetery
  • The purchase of a cemetery plot, if your family doesn’t already have the rights to one.
  • The headstone or grave marker, and any placement fees charged by the cemetery.
You should also know that each cemetery is governed by their own board of directors therefore prices and guidelines differ from one cemetery to the next. 

Why Choose Burial

One of the most common questions we get asked is “why choose burial over cremation?”. If you are undecided we have provided a list of benefits of choosing burial to help simplify your decision. There is a wide variety of reasons why someone would choose burial, however the reasons listed below are what we have found to be the most common.

Permanent Gravesite to Visit

One of the main benefits of choosing burial is that it provides a permanent gravesite or mausoleum for families to visit. For many people, having an allotted space at a cemetery where they can physically go to visit their loved one helps with their grieving process. Visiting the grave at the cemetery is considered by some to be a sacred event and allows them to feel a connection to their loved one. For some families, this is a major advantage of burial over cremation.

Traditional

Burial services tend to be the more traditional choice, and if you or your loved one are more conventional, then this would likely be the choice for you. It is very common for people to consider burial the default method of saying goodbye, and honoring their loved one. For most people, when they think of a funeral they generally envision a casketed burial service following the ceremony.

Follows Religious Requirements

Another strong reason why people choose burial over cremation is due to the religious beliefs of their loved one. For example, the Christian concept of resurrection of the body is deeply held by many and makes burial a religious act. Jewish families and those practicing Islamic traditions also have strong religious and social commitments to burial.

Natural & Peaceful Setting

Many people find cemeteries peaceful, beautiful, and are just a natural fit as a final resting place. What better place to celebrate the life of a loved one than under the open sky, beneath trees, or beside flowers? No matter the cemetery that your loved one's burial service is held at, the emotional and spiritual comforts of the natural surroundings will be keenly felt.

Body is More Respected

Some people get uncomfortable when thinking about cremation. There is a common misconception that the body is put to fire that makes them feel uneasy. Many do not feel the body gets the respect it deserves through cremation. On the other hand, with burial the body is placed in a beautiful casket, the loved one can be dressed in their nicest attire, and family members can add in special mementos into the casket.

Allows for a Proper Goodbye

For many, a full funeral with a burial service provides the most effective way to mourn the loss of a loved one, get closure, and deal with their grief. Witnessing the coffin being lowered into the ground often gives people the closure they need during that time and is seen by many as a proper goodbye.

Being Alongside Your Loved Ones

Another benefit of burial is that it offers the ability to lay to rest alongside your spouse, family members, or other significant loved ones. For example, if a husband passes away and is buried, his wife will likely be buried beside him so they can be alongside each other for eternity. This sense of being alongside your loved ones is a strong benefit of choosing burial for some.

Still Unsure?

We know this is a lot to absorb – that’s why we make ourselves available to you and your family night or day. It is our responsibility to guide you in caring for your loved one. Call us with any questions you may have.
Source:
  1. Jeanna Bryner, Vatican Issues New Cremation Guidelines for 'Faithfully Departed'; https://www.livescience.com/56632-vatican-issues-new-cremation-guidelines.html

Share by: