Cremation urns are used to store the ashes of loved ones who had passed away. While burial used to be a more common option, cremation has recently gained more popularity due to its lower costs and the shift in religious views towards this practice. Others also view cremation as a more “eco-friendly” option than burial services. This recent popularity had led to a spike in cremation rates and companies selling urns in the past few years.
Increase in Cremation Rates
Annual reports by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) have shown a consistent increase in cremation rates and a consequent decline in burial rates, with the former overtaking the latter by 2.7% in 2015. Since then, the trend has continued in the same pattern, with cremation rates continuously increasing that it is projected to be more than five times higher than burial rates by 2040.
Choosing to cremate your loved ones will be a difficult decision in itself. However, once you make this decision, you will be faced with the challenge of being confronted with several beautiful urns and having to choose only one.
Selecting a Cremation Urn
Choosing cremation urns for your loved ones can prove to be a momentous decision, especially since you want to be able to memorialize them with beautiful urns. Whereas these urns used to come in merely a handful of shapes and sizes, the options for cremation urns today have become more diverse. While this has given way for more choices, this has also made it more challenging to decide. Because of this, it’s essential to consider some factors when selecting a cremation urn.
- Style and Design
In choosing a cremation urn, it’s always helpful to go back to the very purpose of finding one: to honor and reflect your loved ones. By thinking about your loved ones’ personalities, you’re able to get a better idea of how the urn should look. Would your loved one be well represented with a simple, beautiful wooden urn or an intricately hand-painted ceramic urn? With the options available to you today, you can choose the material, shape, and size of your loved one’s urn, and even customize it with embellishments.
- Cost
Nowadays, cremation urns come in a variety of not only designs but also price ranges. The increase in cremation rates has subsequently led to an increase in companies selling beautiful urns in physical or online stores. Given this market competition, prices have become more affordable for buyers. Because of this, it’s now possible to find the best urn for your loved one while still considering a specific price range.
- Storage Location
It will also be essential to consider where you intend to store your urn, especially since specific locations may have specifications. For example, if you choose to store it in a funeral home, there may be a size limit or requirements for the materials. If you decide to store the urn at home, you will also have to think of things like the weather conditions that you will expose the urn to and others.
While it may seem challenging to consider several factors in choosing the best cremation urns for your loved ones, there are more options today than in the past. Apart from the plethora of designs available in the market, companies have also started selling on the internet. One such example is Smart Choice Funeral Supplies selling a variety of beautiful urns with prices ranging from $39.99 to $129.00.
Ultimately, choosing a cremation urn for your loved one is no easy task, especially if you have to do this during a difficult time. Because of this, it will help to narrow down your options from the get-go, so you know what exact urn you’re trying to find. By considering the factors listed here and possibly other factors that may be essential, you will understand what urn will be best to choose.
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