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Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday rooted in history dating back almost 500 years, with its origins fading into the past like a well-worn skull. But the various features are a little surprising, especially if you  didn’t grow up with them. After all, comparing Día de Muertos to an American Halloween is almost drab, even a little boring.

Although it is a Mexican national holiday, it has grown in the American consciousness for decades, it did not explode into a life after death until the 2017 release of the Pixar movie “Coco.” This heartwarming, vibrant film chronicles the story of a young boy named Miguel, who learns that the celebration is more than a party, but the key to a future worth having. The celebration has continued to double in size since.

In December of 2018, a simple white cross with signatures and deflated balloons sits across from a local elementary school separated by an irrigation canal and a busy intersection. It is here, a kindergartener, died when the car he traveled in was broadsided on the way to school. If you were to travel to the same spot now, there would be no cross, balloons, or candles. The family shortly after setting up the memorial, was asked by the school to take it down, since the Kindergarten playground was across the street, and the children were upset by the loss, not understanding that the boy was not in fact buried there. The school has offered the family

Fifty Percent of Americans have chosen cremation over traditional burial. Why might you prefer cremation over traditional burial? The answer is the options granted in how to handle a family member’s ashes. You have endless choices to give a lasting memorial to honor someone you love. Here are ten ideas to do at your own home with instructions, minimizing cost and maximizing creativity.

1. Scattering Garden

There is a lot to consider when figuring out what to do with a loved one’s final remains. Scattering is a popular option, but that doesn’t mean you want to travel far to spread them in the ocean or in a forest. You can choose to keep the person close and create a scattering garden. This option is gaining popularity at cemeteries but if you decide to create

When people die, where do they go? This is a question that cultures worldwide have been trying to answer for thousands of years. Unfortunately, there aren’t many cases of people who have visited the world of the dead and come back to life. Those who may have died and come back to life give accounts that are impossible to prove. This means we will continue to wonder.

This lack of knowledge has produced a world of cultural approaches that have grown over millennia. The truth is that we don’t know, but we are more than willing to guess. In any culture, it’s important to remember the dead. Some do it to avoid revenge, while others do it out of grief. These celebrations take the ordinary act of death and turn it into something extraordinary. The unearthly elements are just a part of the enjoyment.

Honoring Ancestors

Historically, people used the end of the harvest season as a time to honor their ancestors. Many of the world’s celebrations

Today’s Halloween is made up of movies, candy, costumes, and parties. The entire holiday celebrates your favorite parts of pop culture. It is a day where we can dress up as anyone we want. You can hate it or love it, but Halloween is a celebration of pop culture far from its roots as a Holiday revering the dead. But how did a night of bonfires and offerings turn to a night of scary movies and gorging on candy corn? (If there is anyone who eats candy corn anymore).

The history of Halloween is like the seasonal aisle on November 1st, reduced, but like finding the last bag of Reese’s pumpkins half off, there’s some surprises. Halloween narrows down to three broad categories even today: Disguises, Offerings, and Stories. 

Samhain

The ancient Celts held a variety of seasonal celebrations. Samhain was situated between the fall equinox and the winter solstice around October 31. Named the fire feast, for  the sacred bonfire in the

When people buy a piece of furniture or an appliance, they’re concerned about value. After all, getting a good investment is part of the process. The last thing that anyone wants is to end up with a product that doesn’t meet their needs because it isn’t the right size or demands too much upkeep. Even worse, families don’t want a cremation urn that isn’t suited to its placement and ends up wearing out or breaking down quickly.

That’s why people should start the process of urn shopping with a discussion of value. Like any other consumer product, they come in different styles. There’s a perfect choice for everyone, but that usually requires more than just a decision about appearance. With this information, families will know how to spot a good investment in a cremation urn and how to keep it in great condition once they’ve got it.

Urn Materials

When people start looking at their options for urns, they may be amazed by the variety that they encounter.

It is customary for many people to use wood as a last home for their loved ones' earthly remains. Wood is sturdy and designed to protect against most of the risks in life. Hardwood is long-lasting with beautiful tones that can be brought out by the right color or stain. With proper care, wood cremation urns can stand in good condition for hundreds of years.

As such a popular material used in people's final resting place, there are so many options to choose from. Finding the right one can be a labor of love, and the result a loving testament to the power of family. This journey takes families through hundreds of choices in wood urns, with advice on how to select an urn and care for it after purchase. Our most popular wood urns give families comfort and a constant reminder that their loved ones are always with them.

Where to Use Wood Cremation Urns

People think of wood as a timeless material. The oldest organism on Earth, in fact, is

Memories never seem quite as important as when a loved one passes away. Not only do they serve as a daily reminder of how special an individual was, but they can also help us come to terms with the loss and deal with the grieving process.

To remember the memories, we believe that every urn can and should be able to tell a story using graphics, pictures and text. Our exclusive Keep The Memory® line of cremation

Death is a hard topic for anyone to grasp. Even if adults fundamentally understand what it means, the process of losing a loved one often doesn’t get easier with time or experience. That’s why it is so important to teach it to kids. They have less knowledge and understanding of the world, which can make death or surrounding ideas like cremation strange or confusing.

Parents can head off some of the stress caused by a loved one’s death by starting to talk to their kids about what happens when a loved one dies. Explaining the process of handling a body before its final rest can provide clarity and comfort for children. It isn’t an easy

People tend to feel like fashion is a highly personal statement. It says who they are and what they value in a very outspoken way. For many, it’s a way to honor family and friends. Cremation jewelry is much more popular than people might expect. In fact, it’s a tradition that dates back many centuries, to ancient cultures. The common thread running through is that the remains of people are important. They deserve to be remembered.

That leads to an interesting combination of filial piety and fashion. It’s important to show others that a loved one holds an important spot in a person’s life. It’s also nice to have something that wears well, looks great and matches an aesthetic spotlessly. With all the varieties of cremation jewelry, it’s possible to achieve that for almost any style. Thousands of options in a variety of materials, and it’s pretty easy to make them unique. That way, families and friends can have a tiny memorial that showcases a picture or a name, or remains a little