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.

Can Spouses’ Ashes Be Kept Together? Companion Urns vs Commingling Remains

Can Spouses’ Ashes Be Kept Together? Companion Urns vs Commingling Remains

When two people build a life side by side, it’s natural to wonder what it means to rest side by side, too. After a cremation, that question often shows up...

What to Do With Cremation Ashes: Options + Cremation Urn Terminology Glossary

What to Do With Cremation Ashes: Options + Cremation Urn Terminology Glossary

There’s a moment many families don’t expect: the day the cremated remains come home. It may be a simple handoff at the funeral home, or a delivery box you set...

They’re Not ‘Ashes’: Understanding Cremated Remains and Safe Scattering Basics

They’re Not ‘Ashes’: Understanding Cremated Remains and Safe Scattering Basics

In the days after a death—or in the quiet months of planning ahead—families often reach for the simplest word they know: “ashes.” It’s the word that fits in a sentence...

Burial Urns 101: What You Need for Cemetery or Ground Burial (Capacity, Vaults, and Rules)

Burial Urns 101: What You Need for Cemetery or Ground Burial (Capacity, Vaults, and Rules)

After a cremation, the world often gets quieter—fewer calls, fewer forms, fewer urgent decisions. And then one very practical question arrives: where should the ashes rest? If your family wants...

Family Line-Up at a Funeral: Seating Order, Arrival Timing, and Who Walks Where

Family Line-Up at a Funeral: Seating Order, Arrival Timing, and Who Walks Where

On the day of a funeral, even families who have planned thoughtfully can find themselves suddenly wondering: Where do we stand? Who walks first? When should we arrive? In the...

How to Offer Condolences: What to Say, What to Write, and Simple Message Examples

How to Offer Condolences: What to Say, What to Write, and Simple Message Examples

Most people don’t stay silent after a loss because they don’t care. They stay silent because they care so much that they’re terrified of making it worse. You hear the...

What to Do With the Urn After Scattering Ashes: 12 Meaningful Options

What to Do With the Urn After Scattering Ashes: 12 Meaningful Options

There is a moment families don’t always expect. The scattering is finished. The wind settles. People hug, pack up flowers, and start walking back to the car—and in someone’s hands...

What to Do With Cremation Ashes Besides an Urn: 36+ Meaningful Ideas

What to Do With Cremation Ashes Besides an Urn: 36+ Meaningful Ideas

After cremation, many families experience an unexpected pause. The practical part is straightforward: you receive cremated remains (often in a temporary container), you choose where they will go, and you...

Seeing a Red Cardinal at Christmas: Meaning, Myths, and What to Say

Seeing a Red Cardinal at Christmas: Meaning, Myths, and What to Say

The holidays can make grief feel louder. A familiar song, a certain scent, a chair that stays empty—December has a way of turning memory into something you feel in your...

Memorial Quotes That Comfort: Celebration of Life Sayings for Cards & Urns

Memorial Quotes That Comfort: Celebration of Life Sayings for Cards & Urns

In the middle of grief, you still have to choose words. What to write inside a card. What to print on a program. What to engrave on a plaque, headstone,...

Pet Figurine Urns: How to Choose the Right Style Without Getting Size Wrong

Pet Figurine Urns: How to Choose the Right Style Without Getting Size Wrong

Direct answer: Pet figurine urns are chosen for style first, but they must be chosen by capacity to avoid a stressful “it doesn’t fit” moment. The safest approach is to...

Best Urn Material for Home Display (Humidity, Sunlight, Accident Risk)

Best Urn Material for Home Display (Humidity, Sunlight, Accident Risk)

When families ask for the best urn material for home display, they’re usually asking a practical question that’s wrapped in an emotional one: “Can we keep this here and feel...

Urn Size Guide: How Much Ash Is Left After Cremation and What Size Urn Do You Need?

Urn Size Guide: How Much Ash Is Left After Cremation and What Size Urn Do You Need?

If you’re choosing an urn for the first time, the part that feels unfair is the math. You’re trying to make a loving decision, and suddenly you’re being asked to...

Pet Urn Size for 5 lb: Cubic Inches + “Size Up If…”

Pet Urn Size for 5 lb: Cubic Inches + “Size Up If…”

Direct answer: For a 5 lb pet, plan for at least 5 cubic inches of urn capacity. Most families choose a comfort target of 8–12 cubic inches so the inner...

Funeral Home Price Lists Explained: GPL, Cash Advances, and How to Compare Quotes (FTC Funeral Rule

Funeral Home Price Lists Explained: GPL, Cash Advances, and How to Compare Quotes (FTC Funeral Rule

Most families don’t feel “sticker shock” because they expect funerals to be free. They feel it because the price list shows up in the middle of grief, written in a...

Mailing Ashes for Jewelry: USPS Rules, BOX-CRE Packaging, and “Siftproof” Explained

Mailing Ashes for Jewelry: USPS Rules, BOX-CRE Packaging, and “Siftproof” Explained

Mailing ashes for cremation jewelry can be a gentle way to share love across distance, especially when a pendant, charm, or ring is being made for a family member. The...