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.

Understanding Pet Cremation: How It Works, What to Expect, and How to Decide

Understanding Pet Cremation: How It Works, What to Expect, and How to Decide

Losing a pet leaves an emptiness that is hard to describe. Amid the quiet of your home, the absence of familiar paws or soft purring can make grief feel tangible....

Helping Kids Create Their Own Memorials: Drawings, Letters, Crafts, and Comfort Items

Helping Kids Create Their Own Memorials: Drawings, Letters, Crafts, and Comfort Items

When a child experiences the loss of a loved one, helping children express grief can feel both delicate and overwhelming for adults. The sadness they carry is often complex, expressed...

The Shock of Losing a Pet Suddenly: Emotional Reactions, Guilt, and What Helps

The Shock of Losing a Pet Suddenly: Emotional Reactions, Guilt, and What Helps

Sudden loss changes something inside you instantly, even before your mind fully understands what has happened. One moment, your pet is part of the rhythm of your home, the quiet...

Should You Watch Your Pet’s Cremation? What Families Need to Know

Should You Watch Your Pet’s Cremation? What Families Need to Know

Choosing pet cremation often brings unexpected decisions. One of the most personal is whether you want to witness the process. Some cremation providers allow families to be present for the...

Planning a Celebration of Life Without a Body or Ashes Present: Ideas and Etiquette

Planning a Celebration of Life Without a Body or Ashes Present: Ideas and Etiquette

Honoring a loved one without a body or ashes present can feel overwhelming, leaving families wondering how to create a service that truly captures the essence of the person they...

How to Plan a Celebration of Life (Step-by-Step Guide)

How to Plan a Celebration of Life (Step-by-Step Guide)

A celebration of life is a heartfelt and uplifting way to honor someone special. Unlike traditional funerals, which often follow rigid formats, a celebration of life focuses on storytelling, joy,...

Self-Care in Grief: Sleep, Nutrition, Movement, and Gentle Routines When You Feel Numb or Overwhelmed

Self-Care in Grief: Sleep, Nutrition, Movement, and Gentle Routines When You Feel Numb or Overwhelmed

Grief is not linear, and in its wake, even the simplest daily tasks can feel monumental. Taking care of yourself after a death may seem impossible when exhaustion, sorrow, and...

How to Know When It’s Time to Say Goodbye: Making End-of-Life Decisions for a Pet

How to Know When It’s Time to Say Goodbye: Making End-of-Life Decisions for a Pet

When Love and Responsibility Collide There is a particular kind of silence that settles over a home when a pet is nearing the end of life. The sound of nails...

When You Couldn’t Afford Treatment: Coping with Financial Guilt After a Pet’s Death

When You Couldn’t Afford Treatment: Coping with Financial Guilt After a Pet’s Death

When Money and Love Collide There are few feelings more gutting than standing in a veterinary exam room while someone explains what your pet needs and realizing you cannot afford...

Cultural Differences in Grieving and Funerals: Learning from Traditions Around the World

Cultural Differences in Grieving and Funerals: Learning from Traditions Around the World

Grief touches every human life, yet the way we express it can look profoundly different from one culture to another. When someone we love dies, we reach for rituals that...

Pet Cremation Costs and How to Compare Local Providers

Pet Cremation Costs and How to Compare Local Providers

Facing pet cremation costs can feel overwhelming, especially when your heart is still processing the loss of a beloved companion. While grief fills the space around you, practical decisions about...

Pet Urns & Pet Keepsake Jewelry: Choosing a Memorial That Feels Right

Pet Urns & Pet Keepsake Jewelry: Choosing a Memorial That Feels Right

The absence of a beloved pet changes the rhythm of a home. A familiar silence settles in places where their presence once lived, and small objects,  a bowl, a favorite...

Pet Cremation: A Practical & Emotional Guide for Families

Pet Cremation: A Practical & Emotional Guide for Families

The quiet moments in your home feel different when a beloved companion is no longer there. The walks, the naps beside you, the little routines that filled your days with...

Coordinating Memorial Dates for Both Pets and People: Avoiding Overwhelm While Honoring Everyone

Coordinating Memorial Dates for Both Pets and People: Avoiding Overwhelm While Honoring Everyone

When the Calendar Starts to Feel Heavy For many families, loss does not happen just once. A parent dies, then years later a spouse. A beloved dog is euthanized after...

Why Losing a Pet Hurts So Deeply (and Why Your Grief Is Real)

Why Losing a Pet Hurts So Deeply (and Why Your Grief Is Real)

If you are reading this after losing a pet, there is a good chance you are surprised by how hard it is hitting you. You might find yourself crying in...

Should You See or Hold Your Pet After They Have Passed? What People Say Helps

Should You See or Hold Your Pet After They Have Passed? What People Say Helps

There are moments in life that arrive without preparation, moments that ask your heart to make a decision it never wanted to face. Standing at the edge of goodbye with...