Step 7: Plan Your Life Celebration
In the past 20 or so years, the trend for ‘alternative’ funerals has been growing. As people recognize the value of using multi-media, music, color, eco-friendly products and imagery to bring life to services that were often a little drab, cold and unnecessarily depressing.
You have to ask: how do you want to be remembered? Do you want your loved ones standing around in black listening to a 10-min eulogy from someone who hardly knew you, with badly sung hymns and none of your essence present, or would you prefer a party-like atmosphere with your loved ones singing your favorite songs, watching a video of you sharing anecdotes, funny stories and a farewell message, with a display of pictures, and memorabilia that represents you, with splashes of colorful flowers, balloons and candles to mark your send off—it’s up to you!
More and more people are opting for the latter as they discover that they can plan ahead through pre-need arrangements, and in doing so, reduce the financial and emotional burden on their loved ones.
Take a look at these brilliant books, leading organizations, websites and articles for more advice on how to plan a fantastic farewell party!
Learn more about this in Chapter 10 of Your Legacy of Love: Realize the Gift in Goodbye.
The links below will take you to the leading organizations and websites where you can research and plan your life celebration. This list of links is by no mean exhaustive and we continue to add organizations on a regular basis.
British Humanist Association offers non-religious ceremony services.
Co-operative Funeralcare is a comprehensive site offering information and services to help you prepare for this important event.
Fantastic Funerals is a British company offering services that will put the ‘dazzle’ in your day.
Greenfuse offer advice and services for a contemporary and environmentally funeral.
Funerals UK is an extensive resource for organizing funerals which includes many options for unusual and personalized services.
If I Should Die provides practical information and support on death and funerals.
Lasting Tribute allows you to celebrate the life of someone with a permanent tribute.
Life Celebration is a place where you can have a tribute package created to honor the departed.
Memory Of is the leading online centre for healing, light a virtual candle or create an online memorial.
Missing You is site where you can create a memorial page and upload photos or videos.
Much Loved offer online memorial and tribute services to remember loved ones
Native Woodland offer a range of natural burial alternatives.
The Butterfly site is a place to locate farms who arrange for butterflies to be released at your celebration.
The Natural Death Centre is a British charity that helps people arrange inexpensive, family-organized, and eco-friendly funerals
Woodland Burial provide a great environmentally friendly and cost effective alternative to the norm.
If you know of a leading resource in any one of these fields, or wish to request a link for your own organization, email us.
Realize the Gift in Goodbye: Grief Recovery, Create Your Legacy 