Pre-planning
PLAN YOUR FUNERAL — BEFORE YOU NEED IT!
Any time is a good time to plan your funeral … except at the time of the funeral. Why? Because there are clear advantages to planning ahead. Can you imagine planning a wedding in just a few days? Or any celebration for that matter? Why leave the ultimate celebration of your life to the last minute?
We believe that planning a funeral in advance is a wise thing to do. Find out if it makes sense for you, and learn how to conveniently plan your funeral with Autumn Leaves.
Top 5 Reasons to Preplan Your Funeral
If any of the following statements describe you, then you are probably someone who will appreciate the benefits of preplanning your funeral.
1. You want to ease the burden on your family. If your wishes are unknown when you die, they will be faced with making difficult decisions at a trying time. Will they know if you wish to be buried or cremated? Will they agree on an open or closed casket? Will they agree on how much to spend? Confusion and disagreements are common occurrences when there is no plan to follow. You can avoid this by leaving behind a plan.
2. You want to assume the financial responsibility for your funeral. Planning ahead enables you to make financial arrangements to cover your funeral costs.
3. You want your family to have the benefit of a meaningful funeral. A funeral is an important event for a grieving family. Psychologically, it provides a sense of closure and enables the family to begin the healing process. Families benefit emotionally and socially by honoring the lives of their loved ones with a fitting ceremony and by giving them a proper send-off. It is difficult to make the funeral the best it can be when planning it in a short time.
4. You want your final wishes to be followed. If you have specific preferences for the disposition of your remains and the nature of your funeral services, you can clearly express them in your funeral plan. You may have a preference for burial or cremation, a green funeral, the epitaph on your headstone, or the music and readings at your funeral. Or you may not want a funeral ceremony. Whatever your wishes, they need to be set forth in your funeral plan.
5. You want to be self-reliant and have your affairs in order at the end of your life. Taking care of your funeral arrangements is a thoughtful and caring thing to do for your family. It is comforting to know that you have done all you can do to ease their burden. And you can be assured that they will appreciate that your caring for them continued after you are gone.
CONSIDERATIONS IN PRE-PLANNING A GREEN FUNERAL
Many people, not wanting to burden their families with difficult decisions during an already difficult time, opt to pre-plan their funerals. Because green funerals are a relatively new trend in the west, you may not know what green options are available when you are planning a green funeral.
With Autumn Leaves, we are here to help you to plan a funeral that is natural, devoid of toxic chemicals, and minimizes your environmental impact.
Most traditional funeral practices are far from eco-friendly. First, the land has to be cleared for traditional cemeteries to keep up with the growing demand for grave spaces. Trees are harvested for caskets. Metals are forged for fancy handles and casket hinges. Carcinogenic chemicals, which end up in the nation’s water supply. With all of this to consider, it’s easy to see why many people want their last act to be green.
Selecting Green Funeral Products
When you make arrangements in advance, you have time to consider all of your options. Pre-planning requires you to make several decisions about the products that will be used at the time of burial. Biodegradable caskets and urns are made completely of natural woods and fibers. Eco-friendly guest registers are another way to go green for the service. Instead of flowers, consider asking your family to request donations to a favorite green non-profit organization.
Let us help you to Plan Your Funeral Your Way