Blog- How To's

When writing a eulogy, you should always remember that you are not writing a book about the deceased. So keep it short and sweet, and make your words count. If possible, write a eulogy you can deliver in no more than five minutes. 

To help you out, we have listed some useful tips to help you write a beautiful, meaningful eulogy that everyone can appreciate:

Make sure you choose a positive tone

Focus on the positive qualities of the deceased. If he/she lived a difficult or troubled life, you don’t have to talk about that. The audience probably already knows it, and it will only make mourning that much more difficult. So choose to focus on their positive traits.

Keep it personal by sharing anecdotes and stories

Remember to include humorous or heart-warming stories and anecdotes about the deceased, maybe something that both of you experienced. You can use these stories to support a point that you are trying to make, like how they possessed a positive quality. For example, if you want to share that he/she was someone who was giving and generous, you can share a story to support that.

Don’t talk about yourself for too long 

Always keep in mind that even though you are the one delivering the eulogy, it is not about you. Just give a brief introduction, stating your name and how you are related to or know the deceased. Avoid using too many first person pronouns like “I” and “me”.

Close it with comforting words and say your last goodbye 

Finally, make sure to close your eulogy with words that lend peace and comfort. You can talk about valuable life lessons the deceased taught you, or something similar. Then, end it with one, last goodbye. 

Thanks for reading,

Karen

Funeral planning is not an easy experience. You have to make necessary arrangements and do what you must despite having lost a loved one. This is why, understandably, most bereaved often do not think straight or make rational decisions with a clear head.

At National Memorial Planning, we understand this ordeal that many people go through. So to make the experience easier for you, here are the top five questions you should always ask before deciding on a funeral home.

1. How many years have you been in business?

With experience comes expertise. So, don’t forget to ask the funeral home how long they have been in business. Enquire if it is family-owned because usually family-owned funeral homes are passed down from generation, meaning that they have years of experience.

2. How many people can fit in your chapel?

Knowing how big the chapel is and how many people can fit in will help you plan the funeral in an organized and systematic manner. If possible, visit the funeral home yourself to see how well it can accommodate your plans.

3. Am I free to choose any service despite my faith/personal beliefs?

All kinds of services like cremation, embalming, viewing and burial should be provided to you regardless of your faith or personal beliefs. It should be noted that embalming is not legally required.

4. What are your funeral packages like?

Remember to ask what kind of offers or packages they offer so you can get the best deal possible. Funeral homes should have packages ranging from basic to all-inclusive.

5. What are the payment options available to me?

Funerals can be expensive. Make sure to ask what payment options are available to you. For instance, the funeral home may be open to working with an insurance company or arranging for financial assistance.

Thanks for reading,

Karen

We all know that picking out music for any occasion is no simple task. The songs or pieces we choose will set the mood and tone of the entire occasion, whatever it may be. But, it’s even more difficult to choose a song for a funeral, whether we are planning our own funeral in advance or it’s for the funeral of a loved one.

As difficult as it may be, the music played at someone’s funeral is an important and memorable part of the entire service, and often what people will remember most. So, if you want a meaningful song that people will remember you with, or you want someone you have lost to be remembered with a particular song, here are some tips on how to choose the perfect funeral song:

1. Choose something personal and meaningful

The most important factor to consider is that the song or music you choose should be meaningful. And for that, it has to be personal. It doesn’t matter if it does not sound like your usual funeral music. What matters is that it has meaning, and the deceased will be remembered with that music.

2. Think of how you want people to feel at the funeral

It is well-known that music has the power to make us feel a certain way. The kind of music we listen to can effectively influence our mood. Before choosing a song, consider how the song will make people feel at the funeral. Will it make them feel the way you want them to?

3. Carefully go through the lyrics first

Before you settle with a song, make sure to go through the lyrics first and understand the meaning. Lyrics are as important as the tune. For example, the words of a song may not be ideal for the kind of funeral you want, or the ideas presented in the song may not match yours or the deceased.

Thanks for reading,

Karen

Holidays are a joyous and wonderful time of the year when close friends and families come together in celebration. However, if you have experienced the loss of a loved one, you probably know that holidays, as happy as they are, can be a rather difficult time. The space a loved one left – whether a mother, father, sister, brother, child or anyone – is felt even more deeply during the holiday season.

However, it is possible to remember your loved ones and cherish their memories during these times without having to grieve and miss out on the holiday fun and cheer. Below, we share the different ways you can honor a loved one’s memories during the holidays:

1. Set a place for them at the table

While this may sound simple, it is deeply meaningful for many families and friends. It signifies that although our loved ones may be physically gone, there will always be place for them and they will live on in our hearts.

2. Make a donation in their name

A good idea is to donate money or their old clothes, basically anything that could help a special cause. It is even more special if you donate to a cause that your loved one would have strongly supported.

3. Light a special candle for them

You can keep a beautiful, scented candle lit and place it where you can easily see it, like on the dining table or in the living room. You can light it up throughout the holiday season, but make sure to never leave the candle unattended.

4. Make a memory blanket

A sweet gesture is to make a memory blanket. Cut out pieces of your loved one’s old clothes and make a quilted blanket out of the pieces. This helps to make you feel like they are still with you.

Thanks for reading,

Karen

Funeral services are an important ritual that not only helps us to let go of our loved ones, but also remember them and honor their memory in the presence of all who knew them. As such, many people may like to organize a funeral that truly reflects the kind of person the deceased was and the kind of life they lived.

If you, too, would like to hold a funeral service that will honor the memory of a loved one in a special and unique way, here are some creative tips on how to personalize a funeral service.

Customize their casket or urn

You can have the casket or urn customized in such a way that it truly reflects the deceased. For example, you can decorate it with their favorite possession, or items that are representative of who they were as a person – like their career, passion or hobby. 

Use their passion as an inspiration

Think about what made your loved one most happy. What were they passionate about? In what did they invest most of their time and energy? Use this passion of theirs as a theme for the funeral. For example, if they loved volunteering and charity work, you can invite guests to make donations for a cause that was close to their heart.

Get creative with photo displays

Gather old photos that best reflect the kind of person they were, and tell their life story through these pictures. You can make a collage, hand pictures all over the service location, make wreaths out of such photos, etc.

Ask guests to share their favorite memory

A unique and sweet way to remember your loved one is to ask all the guests to write down their favorite memory with them, along with their names. This is a creative replacement for a registry as well.

Thanks for reading,

Karen