7 Ways To Honor A Cremated Loved One
By Jenn Ryan
If a deceased loved one has been cremated, it can feel difficult to know exactly what to do with their ashes.
While some people stipulate what they want done with their ashes before they die, many times, it’s left up to the family to decide what to do.
Below are seven creative ways you can honor a loved one who’s been cremated to further celebrate their memory.
1. Create a Coral Reef
Your cremated loved one can be a part of marine life in a way you never thought possible.
With Eternal Reefs, the departed’s ashes are mixed with concrete to create a hollow yet stable concrete ball that provides a place for marine life to grow and thrive. Growth is seen in just a few weeks and once they are part of the environment, will continue to support future life for as long as life exists.
These fun reef balls start at $3,995 and include the making and placing of the reef, but the ashes will need to be provided.
2. Send Them into Outer Space
I have to say, this option is pretty cool.
Celestis is a company that will actually launch part of the cremated remains into space. They offer numerous options—you can actually take advantage of an option that returns the remains back to earth after they “experience” space (which is the cheapest option) or have it orbit the earth for $4,995.
The most expensive options here are having your loved one’s remains land on the moon or launch them into deep space (both places they will not return from), both of which start at $12,500.
3. Make a Fireworks Display
Your loved one’s ashes can be made into fireworks by a company based in the UK for your family to celebrate the deceased’s life with (starting from around $1,000).
Heavenly Stars Fireworks offers professional displays and self-firing displays that can be shipped to you within three weeks of receiving your loved one’s ashes.
4. Ascend Into the Sky
If you want to have part of your loved one travel six miles above the earth, you can launch them into the sky via a biodegradable balloon.
The ashes will travel above the earth and then explode once reaching freezing temperatures in the atmosphere for the price of $995.
5. Create a Custom Diamond
This option is neat because you don’t necessarily need cremation ashes in order to do it. You’ll need either a lock of the person’s hair or their ashes to create a beautiful diamond.
Options at Life Gem start at $2,490 and allow you to choose your color and size of a diamond that you can enjoy for years after your loved one has passed on.
6. Grow a Beautiful Tree
Mixing ashes with soil and a baby tree is made easy at The Living Urn. Prices start at $119 but you will need to provide the ashes.
The Living Urn will send you a kit all ready to start your tree and you can plant your loved one and watch them grow into something timeless and beautiful for your family to enjoy. You can pick your own species of tree from Living Urn’s site, or you can provide your own tree!
7. Get a Tattoo with the Ashes
Honoring a loved one has never been more intimate than with a tattoo.
Tattoo artists can actually incorporate your loved one’s ashes into your tattoo ink to create a tattoo that truly makes them a part of you. Although not every artist will do this and the risks are unknown, you can talk to your local artist about what to expect.
Since bodies in cremation are heated at extremely high temperatures, it’s speculated that the risk of infection is virtually nonexistent, but unfortunately, there’s no research as of yet to back this up.
Conclusion
With all the creative ways to celebrate a deceased loved one’s memory, cremation offers a variety of choices.
Burial also offers many creative green alternatives that may just actually be better than cremation, if you don’t count the land space used.
Don’t wait until you’re dead—let your loved ones know what you want now in order to have your wishes carried out after you’re no longer here!