Choosing between cremation or funeral services is a decision most families have to make after losing a family member. Traditionally, most people preferred funeral services. But this trend is now changing. In 2017, CNN reported that half of the United States population chose cremation.
A 2021 report by National Funeral Directors showed that the ratio of those choosing cremation vs. funeral is 57.5% vs. 36.6%. According to these statistics, cremation is growing in popularity over custom burial.
So, why are more people choosing cremation as opposed to traditional burial? Let’s identify some of the reasons behind this trend.
1. Change in Beliefs Towards Cremation
Religious beliefs and cultures are the main reasons behind traditional funerals. But over time, improved education on the issue of cremation and the shortcomings of ground burials is pushing more individuals to favor the former. In a nutshell, the main factors driving more people to cremation plans include more education coupled with famous people choosing cremation.
Non-religious Americans find it easier to choose cremation. Some of the larger religious groups, such as the Catholic Church, no longer ban cremation. Others view cremation as a more practical way of disposing of the body. According to them, it has nothing to do with religion. So, the change in religious and cultural views towards cremation is one of the reasons behind the increase.
2. Cremation Is Convenient and Flexible
A funeral service requires you to hold a ceremony at the cemetery. So, you have to be in a particular place to do it. But with cremation, you can host the memorial service anywhere. You can use your backyard, a hotel, or a park.
You can even decide whether to have the ceremony or not. If you choose to hold a ceremony, you can also opt to have it before or after cremation. Then, once you have the cremated remains, you can choose what to do with the ash. There’s no rush; you can keep the ashes in your house until you decide what to do with them.
Some people scatter the remains in the ocean, parks, or rivers. Others make jewelry out of them to remember their deceased family member. If you move to a different location, you can take the cremated remains with you. That means you don’t have to travel long distances to view the grave. So, this practice is more convenient since it gives you multiple choices.
3. Choosing Cremation Cuts Down On Costs
The cremation process involves fewer steps than traditional burial. For that reason, you can save time and limit the accumulation of bills at a funeral home. Depending on your requirements and the terms of service of a funeral home, it’s possible to find affordable cremation.
Traditional burials come with many requirements leading to long price lists. These include buying a grave plot, casket, flowers, embalming expenses, hiring a hearse, and buying a headstone. Direct cremation helps bypass most of these expenses. If you do it immediately, total costs will also reduce.
4. Cremation Is Eco-Friendly
Most body disposal methods have an impact on the environment. Today, we can’t consider cremation to be 100% environmentally friendly. But new cremation technology could make it even safer for the environment.
Secondly, with the cremation process, you don’t need a casket. Typically, you only need a cremation urn, which is smaller and cheaper. Some are even biodegradable. Plus, there’s no use of embalming chemicals which can pollute the environment.
Burying the casket in the soil releases preservative chemicals that lead to pollution. On the other hand, throwing ash on land and water doesn’t pollute the environment.
When you use concrete on the grave, the piece of land becomes unusable for any other activity. That adds to the problem of making land scarce and expensive.
5. Cremation Keeps You Close to Your Loved Ones
Let’s say you’re to bury a loved one in the cemetery; it’s possible to have those cemeteries reused after some time. In which case, you’d have to renew the lease or give up the plot.
Well, some graveyards, such as those offered for veterans’ services, may not be reusable. But they can also be inaccessible in case you live far. On the other hand, cremation services allow you to keep the ashes of a loved one at home.
Cremation Pre-Planning with Florida Family Cremations
Some people are yet to come to terms with the idea of cremation. But from deeper reasoning, it comes down to what’s more practical. We have seen that cremation is more practical and has more benefits. No wonder future predictions show that more people will be going for cremation instead of burial.
Now, your family members need to know your preferences in advance. Let them know if you prefer cremation and what they should do with your remains. Doing so will avoid confusion later, and it will prepare everyone who’s involved emotionally.
Assuming you’re looking for reliable cremation services in Clearwater, Florida Family Cremations is here for you. Make your wishes known to us, and we’ll fulfill them for you. We’re flexible and adaptive to each unique requirement. Get in touch with us for more information.