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.

Cremation Jewelry for Men and Women: Style, Discretion, and How to Choose

Cremation Jewelry for Men and Women: Style, Discretion, and How to Choose

If you’re exploring cremation jewelry for the first time, it can feel deeply personal and surprisingly emotional. Choosing a piece isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about deciding how you want...

Debt After Death: What Happens to Credit Cards, Loans, and Medical Bills?

Debt After Death: What Happens to Credit Cards, Loans, and Medical Bills?

You expect to be making decisions about memorials, funeral planning, and how to honor a loved one’s story. You probably don’t expect to be fielding phone calls about debt after...

Sorting a Loved One’s Belongings: Where to Start and How to Make It Less Overwhelming

Sorting a Loved One’s Belongings: Where to Start and How to Make It Less Overwhelming

When someone you love dies, the house they leave behind can feel like a second wave of grief. Every drawer holds a story, every closet reflects a season of their...

Holiday Grief: Coping with Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Special Days After a Loss

Holiday Grief: Coping with Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Special Days After a Loss

There’s a strange moment that happens after a major loss: the calendar quietly turns, and suddenly you’re staring down the first birthday, the first anniversary, the first Christmas or New...

Columbariums and Scattering Gardens: Final Resting Places Beyond Traditional Graves

Columbariums and Scattering Gardens: Final Resting Places Beyond Traditional Graves

Choosing a final resting place for ashes is a journey that begins long before decisions are made, one that touches the heart as deeply as the life being honored. It...

Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Memorial Options and Gentle Support

Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Memorial Options and Gentle Support

When a baby dies during pregnancy or shortly after birth, the grief can feel invisible to the world. People may offer well-meaning words like, “At least it was early,” or...

Companion Urns and Double Headstones: Planning Memorials for Two People

Companion Urns and Double Headstones: Planning Memorials for Two People

Honoring the bond between two people in life can extend meaningfully into their memorials, creating a lasting tribute that reflects the depth of their relationship. Companion urns and double headstones...

What to Do When Someone Dies at Home: Step-by-Step Guide for Expected and Unexpected Deaths

What to Do When Someone Dies at Home: Step-by-Step Guide for Expected and Unexpected Deaths

Knowing what to do when someone dies at home can feel overwhelming, especially when emotions run high and decisions need to be made quickly. Whether facing an expected death at...

Child and Teen Grief: How to Support Younger People After a Death in the Family

Child and Teen Grief: How to Support Younger People After a Death in the Family

Grief in children and teenagers can be confusing and unpredictable. They often express loss differently than adults expect, shifting from laughter to tears, asking blunt questions, or acting out at...

Important Papers to Organize Before and After a Death: Documents, Passwords, and Where to Store Them

Important Papers to Organize Before and After a Death: Documents, Passwords, and Where to Store Them

Imagine your kitchen table on an ordinary afternoon. There is a stack of mail pushed to one side, a laptop that still has not been shut for the day, and...

Veterans Funeral Benefits and Military Honors: What Families Need to Know

Veterans Funeral Benefits and Military Honors: What Families Need to Know

For those who have served in the military, the sacrifices made extend far beyond the battlefield. Veterans dedicate years of their lives to protect their country, and in return, the...

Poems to Honor the Loss of a Loved One

Poems to Honor the Loss of a Loved One

Loss is deeply personal, touching each individual in unique ways. No two experiences of grief are the same, and the emotions it brings, sadness, confusion, anger, or even relief, can...

Choosing a Pet Urn for Ashes: How to Make It Feel Like Them

Choosing a Pet Urn for Ashes: How to Make It Feel Like Them

When a beloved pet passes away at home, the moment can feel surreal. One instant, you are hearing the soft thud of paws across the floor, feeling the warm weight...

Preplanning Your Own Funeral or Cremation: Benefits, Decisions, and What to Put in Writing

Preplanning Your Own Funeral or Cremation: Benefits, Decisions, and What to Put in Writing

There’s a moment when you realize that preplanning your own funeral or cremation isn’t morbid, it’s practical, protective, and deeply loving. Thinking about it isn’t about dwelling on the end;...

Green Burial and Natural Burial Grounds: Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Traditional Funerals

Green Burial and Natural Burial Grounds: Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Traditional Funerals

The growing awareness of environmental issues has reshaped how many people approach end-of-life planning. Increasingly, families are turning to green burial guide options as a way to honor loved ones...

How to Choose a Funeral Home: Questions to Ask, Red Flags, and Comparing Local Options

How to Choose a Funeral Home: Questions to Ask, Red Flags, and Comparing Local Options

The moment you realize you need to start choosing a funeral home rarely comes with a clear head. It might be late at night after a sudden loss, or in...