Monthly Archives: February 2022

Funeral Service or Celebration of Life: What is the Difference?

If you are talking to La Porte, IN funeral home and cremations., about services for your loved one, you will have several options. Two of those options include holding a traditional funeral, or a celebration of life service. While you may be not be familiar with all of the aspects of both, we are going to break them down so that you can decide which is right for you and your family.

First we are going to talk about how they are similar, and then we will dive into each one deeper to discuss what sets them apart.

Funeral and Celebration of Life Similarities

Both funeral and celebration of life services are ways of honoring the deceased and coming together with friends and family. They also both serve as a way to publicly acknowledge the passing of the deceased and help move this person from one social status to another.

Elements of a Funeral

While these services are both similar, they have some very big differences. The most noticeable one is the format of the services. With a funeral, you typically have:

The Visitation– This is held typically at the funeral home the day before (or sometimes the day of) the actual services. During this time friends and family gather and pay their respects to the deceased as they step up to the casket and say their good-byes.
The Funeral Service– This takes place normally in a church or the funeral home. During this time you may find hymns being sung, bible verses being read, and eulogies given.
The Funeral Procession – This takes place directly after the funeral and is the act of taking the casket to its final resting space. This is done by the hearse transporting the casket while the family and the rest of the guests follow behind in their cars. Once everyone arrives, there will be another short service and the casket will be lowered into the ground.

You can see that a funeral is a more solemn, traditional event that has a very particular order and process.

Celebration of Life Service

To the contrary, celebration of life services have much more flexibility and are closer in relation to a memorial service. While they can still follow an order, there is much more freedom in deciding what you want that order to be.

Another big difference here is that these services are normally held after the loved one’s remains have been cared for either through burial or cremation services. This gives the family more time in planning the events as well as helps out of town guests have more travel time to ensure they can attend.

Also, while the funeral is more religious and solemn, a celebration of life service is more about the deceased and celebrating their accomplishments, passions, and uniqueness. It’s a way to let their personality shine by playing their favorite songs at the service or having the guests wear the deceased’s favorite color or even colors of their favorite sports team.

Final Thoughts

While both funerals and celebration of life services honor the deceased in respectful ways, they both do so differently. If your loved one was more traditional and religious then a funeral service would be the best option. However, if your loved one was a little unconventional and less traditional, a celebration of life service may be the perfect choice.

When you are talking to funeral homes in Rolling Prairie, IN., you can inquire about both options to further help you decide. The experienced staff at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center is always available to help answer any questions you may have about either of these options.

How the Digital Age Affects a Loved One’s Passing

With living in the digital age, dealing with a loved one’s passing has changed quite a bit. Everything from how the passing of the deceased is announced to what needs to be taken care of after they are gone is different. Even how you find cremation services in Michigan City, IN., has changed now that it’s normally by an online search.

Let’s look a little more at how the digital age of social media and the internet has changed the way we handle the different aspects of a loved one’s passing.

The Obituary

Before the time of social media, the family would announce the passing of the loved one by writing an obituary and publishing it in the local newspaper. While this practice is still going on today, there are now several other outlets to consider.

Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram are just a few of the social media channels the deceased might have had. On those accounts, the family may wish to publish a post stating the passing of the loved one. For each of those platforms, there are different rules and regulations for getting permission to post so the family would have to look into each induvial platform’s process.

How We View Funerals

In the past, if you couldn’t attend the memorial service or ash scattering ceremony in person, you just missed out. But now, these services are able to be live streamed over the internet. This means that the people who cannot attend in person can still partake and honor the deceased.

The people who can’t attend in person would be given a link to a website or to a social media channel and view the services virtually online. While attending these services in person is of course the first option, live streaming is a wonderful way for giving more people the availability to be included.

Finding Support

When finding help with the grieving process, support groups have always been a very helpful option. With in-person groups, you can share your story, listen to others, and really connect with the other people that you are seeing face-to-face.

However, now there are hundreds of support groups online that you can attend or join. One of the most common places to find these groups is on Facebook. You will find groups that are for general help as well as very specific groups (ex: help with grieving the loss of a spouse). With so many groups, you can find the perfect group for your needs.

Final Thoughts

With technology comes change. This is apparent in how we deal with a loved one’s passing. With social media and live streaming options, more people are now able to be involved in the honoring of the deceased.

While an obituary in the newspaper would only reach the local audience, a post on a social media platform such as Facebook could reach hundreds. This is nice when the family needs to notify many people over many different areas.

If you would like more online resources or have questions on how digital media can play a role in your loved one’s cremation services in Michigan City, IN., call the experienced staff at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center as they are always here to help.

How to Help a Grieving Friend

If you have a friend who has had to make arrangements at a funeral home in Michigan City, IN., for their loved one, you know they are going through an extremely difficult time. As a friend, you want to comfort them but you may not know how. This can be especially true if you have never had to help a grieving friend before. You may wonder what is appropriate, what should you say or do, or how you can best help.

First, understand that by just being there for your friend is support enough. Many times people who are grieving just need a shoulder to cry on and an ear that will listen to them. Don’t get so hung up on trying to do the exact right thing. Just be there for your friend, listen to them and see what they need.

Offer to Help with Chores

While your friend is going through this grieving process, they may not feel motivated or have the mentally energy to do everyday things such as laundry, cleaning the house, doing the dishes, etc. This is a great time for you to step in and help.

Offer to come over and clean, and when you do, take it one step further by making the space full of good energy. Open the curtains so that the natural sunlight can come in, and light some pretty scented candles. If the weather is nice, open the windows to allow fresh air to flow though.

Cleaning and making their house nice not only makes sure the chores are getting completed, but it will also help their mental state. Being in a space that is fresh and clean lifts the spirit more than spending time in a dingy, cluttered, messy area.

Cook Them Dinner

Just as with house chores, your friend may not have the desire to cook dinner for themselves. This is another place you can step in. If you like to cook, make them a few meals for the week and place them in dishes or bags that can be frozen and quickly reheated in the microwave.

If you are not a great cook, or you live far away, you could call a delivery service and have meals sent to them.

Other Ways to Offer Help

If you friend has children, it might be nice to offer to help with them. You could offer to take them or pick them up from school, or, if they aren’t in school, offer to take them with you for a little bit so that your friend can get some other things done.

You could also to do things like help with yard care, mow the yard, water the grass or house plants. Maybe wash the car or make sure the trash gets taken out on trash day.

Final Thoughts

While your friend is going through the grieving process, the best way to show your support and love is simply by being there for them. Don’t worry about what to say, or exactly what you should do. Simply listen and take your cues from them. You are a good friend, and you will know what they need.

If you have any more questions on how to help a grieving friend or would like additional resources your friend can utilize, call the compassionate staff at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center as they are always here to help.

8 Gift Ideas for Guests at Memorial Service

After your cremation services in South Bend, IN., you may be planning a memorial service to honor your loved one. These services are a wonderful way to honor and celebrate the life of the deceased. When planning a memorial service, you may think of adding music, decorating the space with flowers, and having people speak and share stories and memories of your loved one. One element that you may not think about is giving a small gift to the guests.

These gifts are a nice touch that allows the guests to have a physical item to keep in remembrance of the deceased. These gifts do not have to be anything large or expensive; even a little token or card ca be a thoughtful item that the guests would appreciate.

If you aren’t sure what you would like to give, here is a list of ideas to get you inspired.

Seed packets– Seed packets are a beautiful gift to give to your guests. These seeds could be for flowers, plants, or even fruit or vegetables.

Memorial Bookmarks – Memorial bookmarks are a great inexpensive option. There are many online places to deign them and have them printed, or you can print and laminate them yourself to save costs.

Wristbands – Everybody loves wristbands. There are several companies online that offer them with a personalized word or message. You could have your loved one’s name printed on them or a favorite saying or quote of theirs.

Personalized Memory Fortune Cookies– Looking for something a little different and unique? Giving out personalized fortune cookies is definitely the way to go. These companies are found mostly online and can put just about any message inside the cookie.

Keychains– Keychains are a great gift because many people use them on backpacks, purses, luggage, etc and not just keyrings. Also, keychains come in a variety of materials so there is a deign for every budget.

Shot Glasses– While maybe not appropriate for everyone, shot glasses are definitely a unique gift to hand out. These can also come in many styles and materials so there shouldn’t be any trouble finding the right one for your budget.

Favorite Recipe – Did you loved one adore cooking or baking? Maybe they just had a favorite dish they always wanted you to make. Why not share this with your guests? Printing a favorite recipe on a pretty card is a lovely gift for guests to enjoy.

Custom Magnets – Do you have a favorite photo of your loved one? Maybe it’s a quote or poem they loved. Having it printed on a custom magnet is very easy to do online and makes a practical and fun gift for your guests.

Whatever you decide, your guests will appreciate the thought. They will also appreciate the chance to have something physical to hold on to in remembrance of your loved one.

Holding a memorial service for you loved one after cremation services in South Bend, IN., is a beautiful way to honor their life.. If you need help with cremation services or have questions about memorial services, reach out to the caring staff at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Their knowledgeable and experienced staff is always here to help you in this difficult time.