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.

The 49 Days After Death in Buddhism: Understanding the “Intermediate State” and Memorial Practices - Funeral.com, Inc.

The 49 Days After Death in Buddhism: Understanding the “Intermediate State” and Memorial Practices

In the first days after a death, time becomes strange. A family can move through paperwork, phone calls, and meals brought by friends, yet still feel as if nothing has...

Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day): History, Rituals, and Modern Ways Families Observe It - Funeral.com, Inc.

Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day): History, Rituals, and Modern Ways Families Observe It

In many families, grief doesn’t begin with a single day. It returns in seasons—when the light changes, when certain foods appear on the table, when a name is spoken and...

Joss Paper and “Spirit Money”: Why Families Burn Offerings and What It Means - Funeral.com, Inc.

Joss Paper and “Spirit Money”: Why Families Burn Offerings and What It Means

In many Chinese and East or Southeast Asian families, grief doesn’t only ask for tears. It asks for care. It asks for action that says, in the most human way...

Hades vs. Thanatos: Greek Gods of Death—Ruler of the Underworld vs. Personification of Dying - Funeral.com, Inc.

Hades vs. Thanatos: Greek Gods of Death—Ruler of the Underworld vs. Personification of Dying

In Greek mythology, people often speak about “the god of death” as if it’s one figure with one job. But the ancient stories are more precise than modern shorthand. Hades is...

How to Transfer Ashes Into an Urn: Step-by-Step Instructions, Tools, and Mess-Free Tips - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Transfer Ashes Into an Urn: Step-by-Step Instructions, Tools, and Mess-Free Tips

There is a moment after cremation that catches many families off guard. The big decisions may be behind you, but the temporary container arrives and suddenly you are holding something...

How to Transfer Cremation Ashes Into an Urn: Step-by-Step, Tools, and Sealing Tips - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Transfer Cremation Ashes Into an Urn: Step-by-Step, Tools, and Sealing Tips

Transferring cremated remains into a permanent urn is one of those tasks that sounds simple and then suddenly feels heavy when you’re standing at the table with a container in...

How Much Ash Is Left After Cremation? Weight & Volume Estimates + Urn Size Calculator - Funeral.com, Inc.

How Much Ash Is Left After Cremation? Weight & Volume Estimates + Urn Size Calculator

The question how much ashes after cremation is usually asked for one practical reason: you’re trying to choose the right container. Most families don’t want a precise scientific number. They...

Are Ashes Loose in an Urn? What’s Inside, How Cremains Are Packaged, and How to Fill an Urn - Funeral.com, Inc.

Are Ashes Loose in an Urn? What’s Inside, How Cremains Are Packaged, and How to Fill an Urn

If you’ve ever wondered are ashes loose in an urn, you’re asking one of the most common, practical questions families have after cremation. It’s also a question that can carry...

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? The Science Behind Cremated Remains - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? The Science Behind Cremated Remains

The moment the cremated remains come home can feel strangely quiet. The hard part is “over” in the way paperwork is over—forms signed, calls returned, a receipt tucked into a...

Deep Space Burial: Sending Ashes or DNA Beyond the Moon Into ‘Infinite’ Space - Funeral.com, Inc.

Deep Space Burial: Sending Ashes or DNA Beyond the Moon Into ‘Infinite’ Space

For many families, cremation is chosen for reasons that are practical—simplicity, flexibility, cost, or a loved one’s clear wishes. But what happens next is rarely “just practical.” The moment the...

Gold Teeth and Fillings During Cremation: Do They Melt, and Can They Be Recovered? - Funeral.com, Inc.

Gold Teeth and Fillings During Cremation: Do They Melt, and Can They Be Recovered?

When a family chooses cremation, the questions that surface are often surprisingly specific. You may be making decisions about paperwork and timing, and then someone quietly asks, “What happens to...

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? ‘Ash’ vs ‘Ashes’ and Why Cremains Aren’t Like Fireplace Ash - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? ‘Ash’ vs ‘Ashes’ and Why Cremains Aren’t Like Fireplace Ash

Most people picture cremation “ashes” as soot—something dark, powdery, and similar to what’s left after a campfire. Then they receive cremated remains and realize the texture looks more like pale...

Cremation Ashes Composition: Chemistry, Metals, and Why Results Vary - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cremation Ashes Composition: Chemistry, Metals, and Why Results Vary

If you’ve ever looked at cremated remains and wondered what they actually are—chemically—you’re asking a normal question. The word “ashes” makes people picture fireplace soot. But cremated remains are not...

What Happens to Titanium Implants After Cremation? How Orthopedic Metal Recycling Works - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Happens to Titanium Implants After Cremation? How Orthopedic Metal Recycling Works

Families rarely walk into a cremation arrangement expecting to think about metallurgy. They’re focused on the person they love: the stories, the medical journey, the last stretch of life, and...

Can You Scatter Ashes Anywhere? U.S. Laws, Permission Rules, and Best Practices - Funeral.com, Inc.

Can You Scatter Ashes Anywhere? U.S. Laws, Permission Rules, and Best Practices

In many places, yes—you can scatter ashes. But “anywhere” is the part that gets families into trouble. In the U.S., whether scattering is allowed (and what steps you need to...

Cremation Bracelets for Ashes: Styles, Pros & Cons, and Buying Tips - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cremation Bracelets for Ashes: Styles, Pros & Cons, and Buying Tips

Cremation bracelets are one of the most discreet ways to keep someone close. For many people, a bracelet feels more natural than a necklace—it sits at the edge of your...