Burial and cremation are two different techniques.  Burial requires investing on caskets and paying for the rest of the funeral expenses that go with the ceremonies pertinent to the event.  Cremation may only require spending a night with your loved one after he passes away.  You may rent caskets too if you wish to spend some more nights with your dearly beloved.  However, instead of burying them in cemeteries or memorial parks, you will have their remains as ashes.

More on burial and cremation

Apart from the aforementioned facts on these two funeral techniques, there are other distinctions and similarities to take note of in burial and cremation.  You may consider the following information of great help knowing that you need to decide on such matters in the future.

1.    The process.  Burial requires some processing and documentation before the ceremonies may be conducted.  You need to inform your church about the actual funeral day as well as give notice to the cemetery where you want the grave set.  For cremation, you also need to inform a crematorium about your intent to have your loved ones cremated.

2.    Services.  As mentioned a while back, both burial and cremation require funeral services to give you the time to grieve for the loss in your family.  Eulogies and necrological services may also be conducted depending on your loved one’s request before he departed.

3.    Reception.  Knowing where you will place your loved one’s remains for the last few nights is a decision you and your family should discuss about.  Whether you will eventually choose a burial or a cremation, you should choose the right place to spend the last nights with your beloved.  Your options include your home, a chapel, a church or any other private place where solemnity is assured.

4.    After funeral services.  In burial methods, you conduct the ceremonies before your loved one is buried to the ground.  In cremation, there are other rites done after the funeral.  Scattering ashes to the sea or land is an option to consider.  Placing the remaining ashes inside an urn and spending a vigil the night after the ceremonies is also part of the choice for cremation.

Visitation arrangements are also similar in both burial and cremation.  It is up to you and your family to determine who should pay the last respects to your loved one.  The costs in these techniques may vary.  Some says that cremation is cheaper plus you also have the chance to place the urn inside your home.  But, burial remains to be a popular option for a lot of families.  In the end, you still decide about the whole thing.