Celebrating Life

It’s your final celebration, so why not make it a memorable one?

While traditional funerals stand strong, celebratory end-of-life gatherings are also trending. People are becoming more involved in their own celebration of life planning and family is getting more creative with how they deal with the remains of loved ones. Their hope is that planning prior to passing will ensure specific personal detail will be a part of the gathering.

People are bringing more aspects of the individual physically into the event and sometimes creating theme and decor around the person, more than just typical linens, tables and flowers and a video. If the deceased was an avid golfer, they may request guests wear golf attire, or have their clubs and favorite outfit there as decor. If the person were a baker, the deceased may request favorite recipes or baked goods be given out as guests depart the celebration. Some celebrations involve choreographed dance or improv rap while others involve celebrating the deceased love for the outdoors with a boating or nautical themed celebration.

“One celebration that sticks out in my mind is a gentleman who was passing on and really wanted to celebrate his love for Harley Davidsons. We brought in his Harley right into the middle of the celebration. We drove it in, and it was loud. The motorcycle roared in past a display of dozens of his Harley Davidson T-shirts that people could also get up close to, adding another tactile way to remember the man” says Sharon Bonner with Bright Ideas Events.

Bonner says, “People are also getting more creative with how they deal with the remains of their loved ones. I remember being at an event and saying ‘What a beautiful fish sculpture.’ The ashes were in the fish. It caught me off guard because it just looked like a piece of decor.”

People want to pay their respects in a celebratory way, and have a personal relationship with the experience as well. They want to leave thinking about all the great times they had with the person. So bringing those experiences to the event lets the guests take away a memory of how great the relationship was with the departed.

The celebration is about giving people one more chance to connect with a loved one, so why not make it personal and celebratory? Here are a few ideas of how to make the celebration more engaging:

• Ask attendees to bring along a story or memory of your loved one to share.
• Ask guests to share a memorable song.
• A balloon release, seed toss, blowing bubbles or lighting luminaries.
• Create a display of the loved one’s collectibles.
• Fireworks, sparklers and floating lanterns are also memorable ways to celebrate life.

For information about funeral planning and cremations, contact one of our knowledgeable staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations. Visit our funeral home at 20 S. Duval St., Quincy, FL 32351, or you can call us today at (850) 627-1111.