When a loved one passes on and is cremated, family members are sometimes left wondering what they should do with their ashes. The truth is that this is deeply personal, so the answer will be different for everyone. Some people might want to keep the ashes close to them, others might like to spread the ashes at a meaningful place. Keep reading to find out what the options are, so you can decide which one might be best for you and your family.
Scatter The Ashes In A Meaningful Place
Cremation allows for more flexibility than a burial when choosing a final resting place. In New Zealand, ashes can be spread in a variety of places that might have a special meaning for your family. It could be a memorial garden, a backyard, a sports ground, the ocean, a river, or another meaningful spot. However, keep in mind that there are places where ashes cannot be spread for safety or cultural reasons. If you are unsure about where you can legally scatter ashes, please don’t hesitate to ask our team. We will be able to tell you if it’s possible and provide some alternative suggestions if the place you have in mind is not suitable. We also have a range of beautiful scatter tubes available to make it even more special.
Bury The Ashes
Burying the ashes in a cemetery or special memorial site ensures that family and friends have a place to go where they can remember your loved one. The urn itself is buried in a permanent resting place, also known as internment. If you would like to bury the ashes, there are two options. The first option is an attended ash internment in which the cemetery technicians prepare the grave for you to place the urn inside, and family and friends can attend to have a ceremony. An unattended ash internment is performed by the cemetery technician without friends or family present.
Keep The Ashes Close To Home
Some people do not wish to part with the ashes and choose to keep them close to home in an urn or other receptacle. If you would prefer to keep the ashes near to you, there are several options. If you have a traditional urn, you could simply keep this at home in a safe place, such as up on the mantelpiece. At Rosetown Funeral Home, we have many beautiful urns for you to choose from. It is also possible to place ashes in other keepsake items, such as a piece of cremation jewellery, decorative urn, teddy bear or memory chest. Finally, you can also use a Let Your Love Grow kit, the world’s first all-organic plant mixture for ashes. It allows you to plant a living memorial, be it a plant or tree of any size, using your loved ones ashes. If you’re interested in any of these options, please let your Funeral Director know and we can help you make arrangements.
Whichever you decide, our professional and friendly team are here to guide you and your family through the process. If you have any questions or would like to enquire about an urn, please get in touch with us.