cremation services in Aurora, CO
Easy DIY Home Memorial Projects

Creating a memorial in your home for your loved one is a touching way to remember them as well as honor their life. The beautiful thing about these memorials is that they do not have to be big or overly grand to be meaningful. In fact, memorials can be anything (and any size) you wish. Today we are going to talk about some of the favorite home memorial ideas from providers of cremation services in Aurora, CO.

Planting a Tree

This is one of the most common ways that people may honor their loved ones. Planting a tree in the yard serves as a beautiful, living tribute that you can watch grow year after year. Not only that, but the act of planting it can actually be a very healing and therapeutic activity, especially when you invite other family members to join in.

Create a Garden

Instead of planting a tree, if you have the space, why not create an entire garden? You could have it be a vegetable garden that contains your loved one’s favorite veggies, or a flower garden with all the flowers they adored. To make this an extra special space you could add things like a bird feeder, wind chimes, a plaque with your loved one’s name, or even a bench or other sitting areas to rest and reflect.

Create a Memorial Wall

If you don’t have any space outside to create a memorial, no worries as you can create one inside. One way is with a memorial wall. All you need for this wall are some photographs of your loved one and picture frames.

To create this wall simply frame the chosen photographs and arrange them on the wall. It is best when hanging these to arrange them an equal distance from one another so that the overall look appears orderly and designed rather than messy and cluttered. You can also add shelves that hold items such as plants, candles, or personal mementos.

Design a Living Wallcremation services in Aurora, CO

If you would like to incorporate the outdoors in your memorial, consider creating an indoor living wall. This can be made on any wall and can be big or small. What you need for this project are some wall planters as well as plants and/or flowers.

To create your living wall, simply hang your wall planters in the arrangement you wish, Then plant them with indoor plants such as ivy, succulents, lady palm, peace lily, spider plants,s or any other plant that will do well in space conditions. You can also add any special elements that your loved one might have liked such as a special plant, or incorporate their favorite color with the planters or flowers.

You can choose to have the plants hanging from one planter to another or keep each one in its own space. This makes such a nice, vibrant, living tribute that can bring your comfort every time you tend to it.

To learn more about memorials or cremation services in Aurora, CO., feel free to reach out to us anytime as our compassionate and knowledgeable staff is always here to help.

funeral homes in Aurora, CO
Using Journal Prompts to Cope With Grief

After making arrangements with funeral homes in Aurora, CO., grieving the loss of our loved one is normal. It is normal and it is necessary. It is our human way of processing what has happened, accepting it, and learning how to go on in this new way. Although grieving is natural, sometimes, if we are not careful, it can turn into depression.

Luckily, there are things you can do to help ensure you are processing and dealing with your grief in a healthy way. One of those ways is through writing and using journal prompts to help guide you.

Why Writing is Beneficial

Studies have shown again and again that writing-especially journaling- can be extremely effective when it comes to dealing with trauma, loss, and grief. Taking pen to paper and writing allows you to let go, get in your flow state, and connect with your emotions on a much deeper level than just thinking about them.

By exploring your feelings on paper you may discover new insights into them or even how they may connect with other emotions you are experiencing.. Because the physical act of writing helps your brain make these insights and connections, it is suggested you do not journal on your laptop or smartphone, but instead use pen or pencil and paper to physically write out your thoughts.

What Are Journal Prompts?

If you aren’t familiar with journal prompts, they are simply predetermined question or thought that gives you a topic to write about. They can be general prompts or they can be focused all around one main topic. Some examples of general self-discovery prompts are as follows:

  • Think back to your favorite day. What made it so great? What can you do to recreate it?
  • What do I know to be true now that I didn’t know a year ago?
  • When do I feel most in tune with myself?
  • How would my best friend describe me?
  • What makes me feel most grounded?

You can use prompts such as these or find more grief-specific prompts, or a combination of both; the choice is yours

How Journal Prompts Can Helpfuneral homes in Aurora, CO

When you first begin to journal, it may feel very uncomfortable. This is especially true if this activity is new to you. Using journal prompts can help because they give you direction and a focus to write about. Rather than think about what you should write, you can simply look at the prompt for direction and start writing.

You can find journal prompts online by doing a Google search. You can also find journals with preprinted prompts in them. Another source is online sites like Etsy where individuals design and sell prompts in both digital and physical formats.

Final Thoughts

While grieving is a natural process, it can be an extremely challenging one. Because of this, it is crucial to make a conscious effort to engage in activities that help you process your grief in the healthiest way possible. If you need further grief support after your loved one’s services from funeral homes in Aurora, CO., please reach out to us any time. We are always here to help and have sample resources we can assist you with.

cremation services in Wheat Ridge, CO
Keep These Things in Mind When Selecting an Urn

When selecting an urn for your loved one after their cremation services in Wheat Ridge, CO. there are several things to keep in mind. Some of these things include the size of the urn, the material it is made of, as well as where it will reside. Let’s take a look at each of these factors a little more.

Size of the Urn

Did you know that urns are available in different sizes? When selecting your loved one’s urn, it is important you purchase one that is the appropriate size. To know what size you need, you will refer to how much your loved one weighed. This is because, for every pound of body weight, one cubic inch of space is needed. This means that for example, someone who weighed 150 pounds would need an urn size of 150 cubic inches or more.

The Material of the Urn

Urns today can be found in a wide range of various materials. Some of the most common include:

  • Metal Urns – These metal urns can be made from pewter, bronze, brass, steel, copper, and bronze
  • Cultured Urns – These urns are made to mimic the look of other materials such as wood, granite, ceramic, and even marble. They are made from a synthetic material and come in a variety of shapes and colors.
  • Wood Urns – Wood urns can be made from mahogany, oak, maple, pine, walnut, cherry, and more.
  • Stone Urns – These sturdy and elegant stone urns are made from cultured and real marble, soapstone, granite, and even jade.
  • Glass and Ceramic Urns – These fragile urns are made using processes such as coloring, glazing, firing, and glass blowing. While delicate they can be quite beautiful.

Location of the Urncremation services in Wheat Ridge, CO

Another factor you want to keep in mind when selecting your loved one’s urn is where it will be placed. Most Catholic families choose to either have it interred in the consecrated grounds of a Catholic Cemetery or placed in a columbarium niche.

Which place you select will play a role in the material and design choice of the urn. For example, if you plan on placing the urn in a glass front columbarium niche, you may opt for a beautifully designed glass or ceramic display urn. Another nice option for this location would be a wood urn as it can be engraved to add details about your loved one that can be seen through the glass front of the niche.

By contrast, you may not wish to select a delicate glass urn if it is being buried. Instead, a stone urn such as granite or marble may be a more suitable choice.

Final Thoughts

You can see that there are many factors that go into selecting the right urn for your loved one. Luckily, urn makers as well as providers of cremation services in Wheat Ridge, CO. can help guide you in this process and help you select the perfect one for your needs. And, as always, we are here to help answer any questions or concerns you may have so feel free to reach out to us any time.

funeral homes in Wheat Ridge, CO
Attending a Funeral: Most Commonly Asked Questions

Funerals can be uncomfortable to attend. This is especially true if it is your first one as you may feel anxious about what to expect. You might also be nervous about what to say to the grieving family as well as if what you are wearing is appropriate. To help you feel more comfortable, directors of funeral homes in Wheat Ridge, CO. answer some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to these services.

What Should I Wear?

This is probably the most asked question as people do not want to look out of place or dress inappropriately. Most often, the standard color for funerals is black, but other colors are also acceptable. If you do not have anything black, feel free to wear other colors as long as they are darker, more somber colors. These include dark gray, and navy, tones of deep purples such as eggplant ad even deep greens and other natural stones.

As far as the style of outfit, you want to dress nicely. Imagine you are attending a Sunday morning church service and dressing for that occasion. This means for women, dresses, skirts, and blouses, as well as pant suits, are appropriate. For men, either slacks, a dress shirt, a tie, or a suit is a good choice.

Should I Bring Children?

Bringing children to a funeral service can depend on a few things, First, consider their age and if they are mature enough to sit still for the entire service. If they are young and may endlessly fidget or make a fuss then it is best to probably leave them with a relative or a sitter.

If they are older, then you may want to consider their mental maturity level and if they are equipped to handle the situation. This will be a personal decision based on you and your child.

What Do I Say to the Family?

When offering your condolences to the family, it is best to keep it short. Things you could say include:

  • I’m sorry for your loss
  • You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers
  • He will be greatly missed
  • She was a ray of sunshine and was loved by everyone who knew her

Where Do I Sit?funeral homes in Wheat Ridge, CO

This is always a concern as people don’t want to offend anyone by sitting in the wrong space. The most important thing to know here is to not sit in any of the first few rows as these are reserved for family. Also, the funeral may have attendants to escort you to a seat. If not, typically the left side of the room is for friends and acquaintances to sit while the right is for family.

Is it Okay to Be on My Phone Before the Service Begins?

No. In fact, if you can leave your phone in your car or at home that is even better. While we are used to getting our phones out and texting or scrolling Facebook while we wait someplace, this is not an appropriate time to do so. You are there to pay respects and honor the deceased. Sit quietly and respectfully while you wait for the service to start.

Although these aren’t all the questions directors of funeral homes in Wheat Ridge, CO. get, it is some of the most common. Hopefully, by answering these, you will feel more comfortable when attending your first funeral.

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Offices will be closed on 7/4 & 7/5. Cemetery visiting hours are 7:00am -7:00pm.

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