What Are Cremation Keepsakes?
Many people opt for cremation today.
One of the benefits of cremation is that it offers several options as far as preservation of the ashes.
This is quite different than burial in a cemetery, where one is required to go to the gravesite.
Cremation offers the opportunity to have a loved one's remains nearby in a cremation keepsake of some sort.
Alternatively, many people opt to scatter the ashes in a place that had special meaning for the loved one.
And other people opt to scatter some of the ashes, and keep another portion.
A cremation keepsake can be a standard urn, which usually has a capacity of about 200 cubic inches.
The general rule of thumb for determining the appropriate size of an urn is this: 1 cubic inch = 1 pound of human weight.
For example, someone who weighed 200 lbs at the end of life would require a 200 cubic inch urn.
For those who wish to keep a portion of the ashes, there are several choices for cremation keepsakes.
There is the keepsake urn, which is smaller than a full-sized urn.
This can appear in the form of a very small container, which holds under a cup of ashes.
Or it can be larger, to hold more of them.
This is an ideal choice for families and/or friends who would like to divide the ashes amongst them.
It's also a great idea for those who scatter some of the ashes, but wish to hold on to a small amount of them.
Another option for cremation keepsakes is the increasingly popular cremation jewelry.
There are many examples of this type of keepsake in today's market.
The idea actually dates back to Victorian times, when a lock of a loved one's hair was placed in a locket, and worn by the widow for one year.
This locket became known as a mourning pendant.
Today's versions can be found in glass, where the ashes are actually incorporated into the glass under very high heat.
The end result is a lovely pendant with tiny white specks that almost resemble stardust.
They can also be made so that the ashes are not visible for those who are not comfortable with that style.
There are also small lockets that can hold the ashes.
It's important to ensure that these lockets are securely fastened, either with a seal or screw fastening.
Another form of cremation keepsakes is memorial glass.
This is glass, similar to a paperweight in shape and form.
Again, the ashes are blended into the glass in its molten form.
The ashes appear to have the same stardust-like effect in the finished product.
Since many families are more transient than ever in today's society, cremation has exceeded all projections.
Currently, it accounts for more than 38% of all deaths in the US, with higher rates in many states.
By 2025, it is expected to surpass 50% of deaths.
The rate is close to 100% in some countries, such as Japan, where the cremation tradition is centuries old.
The downtown in the economy in recent years has also supported this trend, since cremation is far less expensive than a traditional burial.
And lastly, in many areas, land has become quite sparse.
Cremation doesn't require the huge plots of land that are necessary for a burial ground or cemetery.
One of the benefits of cremation is that it offers several options as far as preservation of the ashes.
This is quite different than burial in a cemetery, where one is required to go to the gravesite.
Cremation offers the opportunity to have a loved one's remains nearby in a cremation keepsake of some sort.
Alternatively, many people opt to scatter the ashes in a place that had special meaning for the loved one.
And other people opt to scatter some of the ashes, and keep another portion.
A cremation keepsake can be a standard urn, which usually has a capacity of about 200 cubic inches.
The general rule of thumb for determining the appropriate size of an urn is this: 1 cubic inch = 1 pound of human weight.
For example, someone who weighed 200 lbs at the end of life would require a 200 cubic inch urn.
For those who wish to keep a portion of the ashes, there are several choices for cremation keepsakes.
There is the keepsake urn, which is smaller than a full-sized urn.
This can appear in the form of a very small container, which holds under a cup of ashes.
Or it can be larger, to hold more of them.
This is an ideal choice for families and/or friends who would like to divide the ashes amongst them.
It's also a great idea for those who scatter some of the ashes, but wish to hold on to a small amount of them.
Another option for cremation keepsakes is the increasingly popular cremation jewelry.
There are many examples of this type of keepsake in today's market.
The idea actually dates back to Victorian times, when a lock of a loved one's hair was placed in a locket, and worn by the widow for one year.
This locket became known as a mourning pendant.
Today's versions can be found in glass, where the ashes are actually incorporated into the glass under very high heat.
The end result is a lovely pendant with tiny white specks that almost resemble stardust.
They can also be made so that the ashes are not visible for those who are not comfortable with that style.
There are also small lockets that can hold the ashes.
It's important to ensure that these lockets are securely fastened, either with a seal or screw fastening.
Another form of cremation keepsakes is memorial glass.
This is glass, similar to a paperweight in shape and form.
Again, the ashes are blended into the glass in its molten form.
The ashes appear to have the same stardust-like effect in the finished product.
Since many families are more transient than ever in today's society, cremation has exceeded all projections.
Currently, it accounts for more than 38% of all deaths in the US, with higher rates in many states.
By 2025, it is expected to surpass 50% of deaths.
The rate is close to 100% in some countries, such as Japan, where the cremation tradition is centuries old.
The downtown in the economy in recent years has also supported this trend, since cremation is far less expensive than a traditional burial.
And lastly, in many areas, land has become quite sparse.
Cremation doesn't require the huge plots of land that are necessary for a burial ground or cemetery.