Funeral homes and cemeteries in Matthews, NC have lots of traditions, each one offering comfort and honor in the time of grief and loss. However, there are also tons of funeral homes and cemeteries all across the globe that have their own unique traditions.

While we may never get to experience them in person, it’s a good idea to learn about these traditions as they can inspire our cemeteries and funeral homes with creative and unique ways to honor our deceased and ease our grief.

1. Tibet Sky Burials – The ground in Tibet is much too rocky for burial, so instead Tibetans lay out their deceased as offerings to the local giant griffon vultures. Though this sounds grotesque, it is a normal part of life for Tibetans, and is a main part of their Buddhist beliefs as it is said that this practice makes it easier for the dead to move onto their next life.
2. South Korea Departed Beads – South Koreans have started using loved one’s cremated ashes to make colorful beads that they then display in decorative dishes or glass containers. Though the beads can range in color, they are most commonly pink, blue, or black. This practice has become more popular in recent years as cemeteries are filling, and South Koreans need new ways to honor the dead.
3. Ghana Fantasy Coffins – In Ghana, most people believe that life continues after death, and therefore funerals should be celebratory. To embody this idea, the Ga people make fantasy coffins in unusual shapes and colors. Each coffin is one of a kind, and usually represents the deceased’s life or career in some way.
4. Italy Capsula Mundi – The Capsula Mundi is an eco-friendly burial container that uses cremains to fertilize and seed a new tree. The Latin name refers to a proverb that states, “transformations of our body between the mineral, vegetal and animal worlds: the three key elements of life on Earth.” Italians are embracing this new tradition as a way to remind everyone that death is not forever, as the death will breed new life in the form of a tree.
5. Japan Ruriden Columbarium – Tokyo is one of the densest urban areas in the world, making it hard for the Japanese to find places to bury their dead. The colorful and high tech Ruriden Columbarium is a solution to this problem. It features thousands of crystal Buddhas, each representing a recently deceased. The ashes are interred in the columbarium for 33 years before being moved to a communal burial site beneath the temple, allowing people to grieve in the traditional way before making space for others to do the same.

These are just a few of the many cemetery and funeral home cultures and traditions from around the world. If you want to learn more about Matthews, NC cemeteries and traditions, please reach out to Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden by stopping by and visiting us or giving us a call today.

There is a lot of fake news circulating about funeral homes and cemeteries. These myths can have a negative effect on bereaved as they search for the right cemetery in Huntersville, NC, or make important funeral planning decisions.

Rather than just believing everything you hear, get to the truth of the matter so you can be prepared when planning after a recent loss or preplanning for your eventual passing. The following list of funeral home and cemetery myths and their truths will help shed some light on common misconceptions so you can know the truth about funeral homes:

• A high-quality casket and vault will preserve remains forever. Caskets and vaults that are well made with durable construction and high-tech seals help keep water and dirt out, but they will never stop decomposition entirely.
• Cemeteries are sad, depressing places. While this may have been true in the past, funeral homes and cemeteries have changed a lot. Funerals themselves can be very joyous occasions as loved ones celebrate the deceased’s life. In a typical modern funeral, laughter and music coexist with tears and ritual.
• Funeral directors only want to make money. Like any other professional in customer services, from doctors to florists, funeral directors do charge for their services but strive to make those services worthwhile. There are some funeral directors who are “bad apples” but they are few and far between.
• Funeral home and cemetery products like caskets and cremation urns have to be bought from the funeral home. There’s actually a law that prohibits that! The Federal Trade Commission’s 1984 Funeral Rule protects consumer’s right to purchase funeral products from any source.
• Funerals and cemeteries are expensive. You can spend as little or as much as you like when planning a funeral. Services vary in cost depending on location.
• Cremation is the only environmentally friendly alternative to burial. While cremation can be greener than burial, that’s not always the case. There are also lots of other green alternatives out there, and you can choose to have a green burial where there are no embalming fluids, chemicals or unnatural casket materials.
• There are strict laws governing the disposition of cremated remains. Laws about cremated remains vary greatly from state to state, but they only deal with burial or scattering. Some states have regulations on where ashes can be scattered, but there are no federal laws. Be sure to double-check your state’s laws before scattering remains.
• The law requires embalming. The law does not require embalming in most situations. There are some circumstances that vary by state in which embalming is required. However, these are rare.
  
• The law requires burial vaults. Some cemeteries require burial vaults, but there are no laws that require them. Check with your cemetery to make sure you understand their requirements before the funeral.

Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden is here to help if you want to learn more about Huntersville, NC cemeteries. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.

From trying to make sure you honor the deceased in the best way possible and taking care to stay in budget, not to manage dealing with grief, it can be hard to find the right cremation urn. Finding the perfect cremation urn for use at home or in a cemetery in Charlotte, NC after a loved one’s cremation can be overwhelming, but not if you use the following tips. They can go a long way to help you find the right cremation urn for your lost loved one: 

1. Put the Deceased First – Not everyone will have a specific plan laid out for after their death but be sure to do exactly what your lost loved one laid out if he or she did so. If there is no plan in place, use your best judgement as to what he or she would have wanted. Was the deceased a big gardener, or a fan of protecting the environment? If so, you might want to consider an eco-friendly or garden urn. Was your lost loved one a big golfer? Look into golf-themed urns for a fun twist.  
2. Think About Urn Use– There are different kinds of urns for different uses. For example, if you’re going to scatter the ashes, you can get a scattering urn. Or if you are going to cast the ashes from an airplane, you need a special airline safe urn. If the urn is going to be displayed outside, you need to be sure you get an outdoor safe urn. 
3. Don’t Forget About Material – There are tons of different urn materials including wood, metal, crystal, natural stone, and even glass. You can narrow down your options by considering what material your loved one would value the most, and what material works with what you want the urn to do. For example, an outdoor or buried urn needs to be a different material than an indoor display urn. 
4. Consider Urn Art– Urns can be made as beautiful as any piece or art, and they can range in style from painted and colored to specially molded and shaped. Art urns are also ideal for display, as they lend a unique and personalized air to the memorial. 
5. Size is Vital – Urn size varies, and you should consider size when shopping for an urn. If you’re going to display the urn, it should be able to fit in the place in which you want to display it. For example, if you want to place the urn on your fireplace mantle you need to be sure the base of the urn is the right size to fit on the mantle space. Larger urns are better when placed low to the ground, or even on the ground. Be aware of the space and the urn size when shopping.  

If you would like more assistance looking for or buying an urn for after your loved one’s cremation service or on Charlotte, NC cemeteries, Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden is here to help. We offer a range of services and are happy to do whatever can for you in your time of loss.

Once a cremation is over the bereaved still have to make decisions about what to do with the ashes after a cremation. There are a few different options, such as burying the ashes in a cemetery in Matthews, NC, keeping them in your home, or scattering them. If you want to go the scattering route, keep reading to learn some basic information and tips as it can be more complex than you would think.

• There are Different Scattering Methods – Scattering can mean more than just tossing ashes into the wind. There are in fact two main ways of scattering ashes: casting and trenching. Casting is scattering the ashes into the air, and trenching is burying the ashes just below the ground surface. You can also rake ashes into soil, cast ashes from an airplane, or even send ashes into space.

• Come Prepared – It seems obvious, but it’s important to make a clear plan for who will scatter the ashes, and this might not be as straightforward as it may seem. Sometimes families wish for a religious leader to do the scattering, or other times families hire a company to help.

• You Don’t Have to Scatter All the Ashes – You can scatter as much or as little of the ashes as you want. Sometimes different members of the family each take a turn scattering, or some of the ashes are kept to be scattered at a later date, in a different location, or not at all.

• There Might be Bones – Most cremations reduce the body down to fine ash mixed with coarse, sand-like ash containing bone fragments. Be aware of this fact when considering scattering.

• Create Memories – You can take photographs of the scattering to help preserve memories, and to have something more concrete to honor the deceased. Sometimes people regret scattering as it takes away any concrete memorial, so the photographs can be a good stand in for the ashes themselves.

• Check the Wind Direction – Be sure to take note of the wind direction on the day you want to scatter. You do not want to have ashes blown back into your face. It’s not unhealthy or dangerous, just very uncomfortable. 

• Look Up Local Laws – Rules and regulations about where you can scatter ashes varies from state to state, and even city to city. Be sure to read up on your local laws to avoid getting fined for scattering in a prohibited place. The same goes for more unique scattering locations, such as at sea or in national parks. Sometimes you even need a permit.

There are many ways to scatter ashes and memorialize a loved one other than in a Matthews, NC cemetery. Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden can give you any additional information you may require. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.