Cremation has been around for centuries. It was a common practice during the Roman Empire when cremation remains were stored in intricate urns, which were placed in facilities similar to columbariums. Ash cremation jewelry began to be made in the 16th century. Mass production of it began during the Victorian Era, which is also when it became more accessible to a larger number of people due to the drop in price. Today cremation is once again on the rise. The rates for people who are cremated has climbed nearly 20% in the past ten years. Many people who know they want this for their remains will purchase cremation urns for ashes before they pass.
People are finding lots of innovative things to do with their cremated remains. Here are a few of them:
- Find a special place and scatter the ashes. More than half of the people who choose to be cremated want their remains scattered in a place that is important to them. There are specialty scattering urns for this purpose. A variation on that theme is to have the created remains put into fireworks. They are placed in the firework shells, are shot up into the sky where they explode in an amazing show of light, which also scatters the ashes.
- Bury the cremation urns for ashes. The sites that are designated for just for people to place a burial urn charge much less for this kind of burial than for a traditional one. This also provides friends and family a place to visit.
- Place the urn in a columbarium. Columbariums are basically mausoleums where cremation urns for ashes can be placed. These also provide people a place to go and put flowers or other mementos.
- Stay at home. Some families prefer to take their family member’s cremation urns for ashes home. They will either place them in a prominent location in the home or bury them in the yard. Animal urns for ashes that hold the remains of pets are often buried in yards.
- Diamonds are forever. There are companies that specialize in turning hair or cremated ashes into diamonds. They can come in different sizes and cuts.
- Place them in ash cremation jewelry. A portion of the cremated remains can be placed in an ash pendant that can be put on a necklace or other jewelry. Because only a small fraction of the remains is needed for this, often people who are having this done with make a bunch of them and give them away as an ash keepsake. This is a way for some people to feel closer to the person who has passed.
- Send your remains to space. It is possible to send cremation urns for ashes into the heavens. The urn can be sent to and from space or just sent out in to deep space to float on forever.
- Help the planet by becoming part of a coral reef. There are companies that make the cement used to encourage the growth of coral reefs. Your ashes can be mixed with that.
There are many options for what can be done with cremated remains so the only real limit is your imagination.
