Funerals - Do It Yourself Funerals
In this article we're going to discuss something that has become
a growing trend in the United States. Do it yourself funerals.
It is no secret that funeral costs in the United States are
through the roof and the sad truth is, many people can't afford
a lavish funeral. Some can't even afford a bare bones funeral.
For these people, and these reasons, do it yourself funerals are
becoming very popular in the United States.
So, just what is a do it yourself funeral?
It's pretty much what it sounds like. It is a funeral that you
handle completely on your own, within reason as there are still
some legalities that have to be abided by in the United States.
One of the legalities is that for any person who dies in the
United States, a death certificate must be issued by a certified
medical examiner. The cost of this is relatively cheap and in
some cases can be done away with. The death certificate charges
vary depending on the state that death occurs in.
After that, there are no particular requirements for interment.
A person can either be buried or cremated. However, and this may
come as a surprise, there is no law that says that a person must
be buried in a cemetery. There are certain health codes that
have to be adhered to during a burial, but as far as location, a
person can be buried in your back yard if you so prefer.
The truth of the matter is, until the 1900's, death was a family
matter. The body would usually be on view in the living room
until the time for burial. There were no big funeral parlors
with fancy ceremonies. As time went by the funeral industry took
over this time of death in a family's life, butmany families are
trying to take it back.
Families are starting to build their own coffins. They're
nothing fancy, usually just made of wood. For those who are not
particularly religious they don't even use clergy. Instead they
write up their own funeral services and perform these services
themselves. Inside their home made coffins the family will
usually put items belonging to the deceased.
Burial itself is a little more tricky as permits are required to
bury the dead on private property, but they can be gotten after
a lot of red tape has been cut. At that time it is perfectly
common and okay for a family to bury their loved one underneath
the cyprus tree in their back yard.
For those who think that an undertaker needs to be part of a
funeral, this is true in only eight of the 50 states.
As for those on a really tight budget, these people usually turn
to cremation and keep the ashes in an urn somewhere in their
home. Cremations are relatively cheap, at about $700.
Yes, do it yourself funerals are becoming the rage for many
people today, and as funeral costs continue to skyrocket it
should come as no surprise.