The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

Prayer & Memorial Candles: Meaning, Traditions, and How to Light Them Safely

Prayer & Memorial Candles: Meaning, Traditions, and How to Light Them Safely

There’s a reason a candle feels like the right shape for grief. In a week when your brain can’t hold logistics for more than a few minutes at a time,...

Keepsakes Made From Ashes: 9 Meaningful Memorial Ideas (Jewelry, Glass, Stones & More)

Keepsakes Made From Ashes: 9 Meaningful Memorial Ideas (Jewelry, Glass, Stones & More)

There’s a moment that comes after the paperwork is signed and the immediate rush quiets down—when the cremation is complete, the phone call is made, and a family brings home...

A Brief History of Ceramics: From Ancient Pottery to Modern Ceramic Memorial Urns

A Brief History of Ceramics: From Ancient Pottery to Modern Ceramic Memorial Urns

A ceramic vessel is one of the oldest human ideas take earth, add water, shape it with your hands, and use heat to turn something fragile into something that can...

15 Reasons People Choose Cremation: Cost, Flexibility, and How to Decide What’s Right for Your Family

15 Reasons People Choose Cremation: Cost, Flexibility, and How to Decide What’s Right for Your Family

A generation ago, many families assumed a traditional burial would be the default. Today, the “default” is less clear—and that can feel unsettling when you’re grieving or planning ahead. But...

When Your Cat Passes Away: What to Do Next (Cremation, Ashes, and Memorial Ideas)

When Your Cat Passes Away: What to Do Next (Cremation, Ashes, and Memorial Ideas)

When a cat dies, the house can feel unfamiliar in a matter of minutes. The quiet is different. The routines that shaped your days—meals, medications, the soft weight on your...

How to Light a Memorial Candle: Meaning, Ritual Ideas, and Candle Safety Basics

How to Light a Memorial Candle: Meaning, Ritual Ideas, and Candle Safety Basics

There’s a reason a memorial candle feels different from any other candle in your home. The light is small, but it changes the room. It gives grief something gentle to...

Cremation Urns 101: Types, Materials, and How to Choose the Right Urn

Cremation Urns 101: Types, Materials, and How to Choose the Right Urn

Choosing an urn can feel like an oddly technical task at a time when your heart is still trying to catch up. Families often describe the same moment: the cremation...

Pet Memorial Shelf Ideas: Create a Cozy At-Home Tribute with Photos, Urns, and Keepsakes

Pet Memorial Shelf Ideas: Create a Cozy At-Home Tribute with Photos, Urns, and Keepsakes

Grief after losing a pet can feel strangely quiet. The house still holds their routines: the corner where they waited for breakfast, the spot on the couch that somehow stays...

Best Companion Urns for Two: Styles, Materials, and Buying Tips

Best Companion Urns for Two: Styles, Materials, and Buying Tips

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles in when two people have spent a lifetime together and the family begins making end-of-life decisions that assume “one” instead of “us.”...

What Is a Companion Urn? A Guide to Double Urns for Couples and Loved Ones

What Is a Companion Urn? A Guide to Double Urns for Couples and Loved Ones

When families ask about a companion urn, they’re usually asking two questions at once: “How does this work?” and “Will this feel right?” A double urn can be practical—two sets...

How to Display a Cremation Urn at Home: Memorial Shelf and Table Ideas That Feel Peaceful

How to Display a Cremation Urn at Home: Memorial Shelf and Table Ideas That Feel Peaceful

After a cremation, families often expect the hardest part to be over. The calls are made, the paperwork is signed, the immediate decisions are handled—and then you come home to...

After Cremation: Safe, Respectful Ways to Keep, Scatter, or Bury Ashes

After Cremation: Safe, Respectful Ways to Keep, Scatter, or Bury Ashes

There’s a moment many families don’t expect after a cremation. The paperwork is complete, the calls slow down, and suddenly you’re holding a temporary container that feels both ordinary and...

Can Ashes Be Turned Into Glass? The Science Behind Cremation Glass Art (Temps, Materials, Safety)

Can Ashes Be Turned Into Glass? The Science Behind Cremation Glass Art (Temps, Materials, Safety)

If you’re asking can ashes be turned into glass, you’re not alone. Families often arrive at this question after the logistics are over and the quiet reality begins: the ashes...

Memorial Candle Colors and Meanings: Choosing the Right Candle for Funerals, Anniversaries, and Remembrance

Memorial Candle Colors and Meanings: Choosing the Right Candle for Funerals, Anniversaries, and Remembrance

There are moments in grief when words feel too sharp, or too small. A candle is gentler. It gives your hands something to do, your eyes something to rest on,...

How to Clean & Care for a Pet Urn: Wood, Ceramic & Metal (Do’s, Don’ts & Quick Fixes)

How to Clean & Care for a Pet Urn: Wood, Ceramic & Metal (Do’s, Don’ts & Quick Fixes)

When a pet urn comes home, it often becomes one of the most emotionally significant objects in the house. It is not just décor, and it is not “just a...

What Metals Are Cremation Jewelry Made Of? Stainless Steel vs Sterling Silver vs Gold

What Metals Are Cremation Jewelry Made Of? Stainless Steel vs Sterling Silver vs Gold

There’s a particular kind of quiet that follows cremation. The arrangements are done, the calls slow down, and then you’re left with decisions that don’t feel “urgent” in the paperwork...