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[behindstarryeyes]

A local funeral home in our area offers "green" burials, which simply astounds me, as I live in a small community that continues to be traditional and somewhat backward: http://www.watkinscooperlyon.com/_mgxroot/page_10787.php

They don't offer basket burial, but they do allow you to provide your own burial container...although I know that state law requires either a coffin or cardboard "burial box" to keep the grave from caving in.

[C_A]

During the "days of yore" it was common to "reinter" bodies / bones.  (Think: "Alas, Yorick").  Human decomp has been studied a LOT in the last decade or so, largely for the purposes of forensics.

Some of the FAQ on some of these sites are very brief, proviso being to "contact" for info, but some of them are fairly in depth.  I guess there are folks whose "sensibilites" might not be up to the answers for some questions?  Especially, I would suppose, people coming from stodgily "embalm / entomb / perpetual care" families of the last century or so.

For some very frank, ( as well as decidedly graphic), discussions, there are a great deal of links at westgate necromantic dot.  Some of the imagery can be quite....well..."Viewer Discretion  is Advised"...

[Serpentium]

It's only very recently (Since the 1950's, I think) that Cremation was re-legalised in Britain. The Romans outlawed it as part of their pogrom on the Druids. Come to think of it, it was only last year, or the year before that Druidism was officially recognised as a religion here. Which is funny in itself, because it was never actually a Religion in the first place. The Romans made it an offence, under pain of death for a Druid to set foot in Britain, because they used their extensive network to organise anti-Roman resistance among the Tribes.
Then, when the Christian Church got a foothold here, they held that you couldn't get Resurrected by God for Judgement unless your remains were interred, whole, in consecrated ground. Which kind of put the mockers on the traditional funeral pyre.

[marisol]

I haven't really made up my mind about what I want yet. But I did buy lots of life insurance.

[dark magus]

Not really up to us is it?
Unless we've set aside $10-15,000 and left instructions in our will, it comes down to what the family can afford to with us.
 
And then, if we haven't left a will, just expressed our wishes, they will do with us as fits their beliefs any how.

[Scorched Eartha]

Funerals aren't for the dead anyway. They're for the grieving. So really though I'd hate to think a great deal of money had been wasted on cars and caskets when I would rather my kids got the benefit of it - if that's how they choose to send their old Ma off - and it it comforts them to do so - then I am content with whatever they decide.

[behindstarryeyes]

Some of the FAQ on some of these sites are very brief, proviso being to "contact" for info, but some of them are fairly in depth.  I guess there are folks whose "sensibilites" might not be up to the answers for some questions?  Especially, I would suppose, people coming from stodgily "embalm / entomb / perpetual care" families of the last century or so.

The older members of my family are this way...and of course, I'm the weirdo who thinks different, as usual. 

Personally, I'm of the mindset that once you're dead, your body is basically a hunk of meat...it was only a physical temple after all. I'm not into dressing it up, slapping makeup on it just so someone can walk by and be comforted that the person "looks good" in death. And to pack it up into this sealed, waterproof container (with identification in the coffin no less so that, oh horror, in some natural disaster the coffin floats up like some kind of monstrous Noah's Ark it can be determined who this pile of decomposing flesh is) in the hope that it won't rot quite as fast...for what purpose? It's not like their going to pop up like some reanimated zombie at some point and prizes will be given for who's less moldy. I think all that is more disrespectful than being committed back to the Earth so that we can can again be part of Her and nourish Her.

Oh, and to continue on this discussion, it is still common in some of the mountainous areas of Appalachia (cue banjos) for the families to handle the burial themselves. The men build the coffin and dig the grave and the women wash the body and sew the coffin liner. They also still "sit up with the dead" and when it's time for the funeral, the family itself carries the remains of their loved one to be committed to the earth. I personally think that this is beautiful and definitely more comforting than sitting in some macabre funeral parlor listening to some hokey music over a loudspeaker while a preacher (who often didn't even know the deceased) preaches some tired funeral sermon. But that's just me.

[Khara]

Oh, and to continue on this discussion, it is still common in some of the mountainous areas of Appalachia (cue banjos) for the families to handle the burial themselves. The men build the coffin and dig the grave and the women wash the body and sew the coffin liner. They also still "sit up with the dead" and when it's time for the funeral, the family itself carries the remains of their loved one to be committed to the earth. I personally think that this is beautiful and definitely more comforting than sitting in some macabre funeral parlor listening to some hokey music over a loudspeaker while a preacher (who often didn't even know the deceased) preaches some tired funeral sermon. But that's just me.

UGH I despise this tradition and have stopped attending funerals because of it.  My only memories I have left from my great grandmother's house is her coffin sitting in the living room.  Same with many of my aunts and uncles.

My grandparents broke tradition and were layed out in a funeral home.  They both felt that memories of their dead bodies did not belong in their home.  As a result my grandpa and three of his brothers opened their own funeral home and the family is still buried out of that home to this day even though it was bought out about 20 years ago.  They still have instructions that our family is allowed 24/7 access to sit with the body, we do not have preachers in to pray for us, we do the service and all of that ourselves. 


My parents were both cremated.  In all honesty, I didn't have any other option, I couldn't afford to bury them.  Between caskets and vaults and all that bs just your basics cost over $5,000.00.

[marisol]

Yes it is quite expensive and I'm of a mind it should be done as cheaply as possible for me any
way. My father being the most kind and thoughful man I have ever known, planned and paid for
his own funeral. All I had to pay was 50.00 for a double plot and flowers for the coffin which
amt. to 125.00. He also had 6000.00 in a savings acct. for mom so she wouldn't worry about
money. I believe he also has mom's funeral planned and paid for. It was a blessing for us.

[behindstarryeyes]

UGH I despise this tradition and have stopped attending funerals because of it.  My only memories I have left from my great grandmother's house is her coffin sitting in the living room.  Same with many of my aunts and uncles.

I'm not much into bodies being laid out for viewing either...

I really think about it like how would I feel if something happened to my four year old. I wouldn't want some random stranger taking care of his body. I'd rather prepare it for burial myself. Kind of a symbolic full circle. And darn if I want people who barely knew him tromping by just to gawk at him. Especially someone like my ex gf who made herself into his parent and then abruptly dropped him when she decided she wanted to be footloose and fancy free, or someone just being nosy.

On a completely different note, but something else...I remember reading this fictional book as a child which was about this teenager coming to terms with death (in a positive way) and in it a pregnant couple who she was close to were discussing with her about having a home birth...they were laughing and saying things like this is where the baby will sleep, and pointing to a cradle, etc., and then the man in the story led the teenager out to this beautiful clearing in the woods and telling her this is where the baby will be buried, if something happened. Of course, the teenager became very angry and ran, but later in the story comes back and the couple talks with her about how death is just as natural as birth and how they were being prepared for all possibities. It really was a beautiful scene, which I am describing very ineloquently. But what I am trying to point out is how simple and beautiful that idea is. I utterly detest the whole custom of half the world tromping through the funeral home for hours while the poor grieving family has to stand there. I am leaving written instructions that specifically state NO visitation and no open casket and no steel vault/casket either, those are disgusting. Hmm...let me see, would I rather rot and be returned to the earth, or rot and sit as a liquid in a sealed steel box.

[oldghost]

There are groups like the Neptune Society that you can join that make arrangements with various funeral home for reduced cost funeral's and cremations.

[Serpentium]

When I go, you can just leave me propped up against the nearest tree. So I can scare kids on their way to school.

[behindstarryeyes]

When I go, you can just leave me propped up against the nearest tree. So I can scare kids on their way to school.

Can I borrow your skeletal remains to decorate my yard to scare away over-aged trick or treaters? I get so tired of being hit up for candy by 15 year olds in regular clothes carrying Walmart shopping bags.

[Serpentium]

Yeah, sure. If you can find them.

[Khara]

Many funeral homes will allow you to dress and get the body ready for the casket yourself.

My children are like me, we all feel due to the expected zombie apocalypse that cremation is our best bet.  None of us wants to have to kill any of us a second time.