Differences Between Burials and Cremations

When people are preplanning funerals at funeral homes in Oakwood, OH, one of the decisions that will need to make is what they want their final disposition to be. Final disposition is a term that refers to what ultimately happens with your body after you die.

The two most common types of final disposition are burials and cremations. There are some distinct differences between the two that you should be aware of as you’re doing your funeral preplanning.

You or your family members may have very strong views about what you want your final disposition to be. Some people have a fear of fire that is so strong that they don’t want to be cremated. Other people are claustrophobic and don’t want to be buried underground.

Whatever type of final disposition you choose, you should know that you have plenty of options that you can customize to fit your beliefs and your preferences or to fulfill your final wishes.

So, let’s look at some of the most common differences between cremations and burials.

One difference between burials and cremations is the flexibility of options. A traditional funeral with the burial has a concrete series of events that happens. For example, there is usually a visitation or viewing, a funeral service, a graveside service, and burial – in that order. While you have flexibility with what’s included in the service and where the service is held, there isn’t a whole lot of flexibility in the sequence of events.

With cremations, on the other hand, you have a lot more flexibility when it comes to planning. Although you can have a funeral service before the cremation, most people choose to hold a memorial service or celebration of life after their loved one is cremated.

The memorial service or celebration of life can take place at any time and can be in just about any format that you want to choose.

Another difference between cremations and burials is the timing of services. If you choose burial as your final disposition, it will happen fairly quickly. While burials typically occur within a week of your loved one’s death, some cultures and religions require their loved one is buried within a day of their death.

Since burials happened so fast, funeral services must be held in a relatively short period of time before that, which means that the family has a small window to plan and prepare for their final goodbyes to their loved one.

When you choose cremation as your final disposition, you have the flexibility of time. One of the reasons why you might choose cremation is to give family and friends enough time to plan and schedule your memorial service at a convenient time for everyone.

A third difference between burials and cremations is what is done with the remains. With the burial, the remains of your loved one are always interred. The interment may be underground in a cemetery plot or above ground in a crypt or a mausoleum.

With cremation, you have more options for what to do with your loved one’s remains. Cremation remains can be buried in a cemetery plot, stored in a columbarium, permanently placed in an urn that belongs to the family, scattered in a special place, or used to make jewelry or artwork.

Cremations and burials each have their own intrinsic value. Whichever you choose, your funeral home will execute the details exactly to your specifications.

If you’d like guidance about final disposition at funeral homes in Oakwood, OH, our compassionate and experienced staff at Glickler Funeral Home & Cremation Service can help.