Monthly Archives: May 2020

Cremations in Pop Culture

While the cremations, urns, memorials and services we see in movies and TV are dramatized and not always accurate, there are many that can serve as great inspiration for you when it comes time for you to celebrate the life of a lost loved one. You can use iconic movie and TV cremations as inspiration for when you’re planning for your recently lost loved one’s cremation service in Dublin, CA:

1. “This is Us” – After a beloved character on this TV show passed, his family continued on his tradition of watching football as a family by cheering on their favorite team with his ashes in an urn right next to them. Take inspiration from this show and bring your loved one’s ashes on adventures or to do beloved activities.

“Harry Potter” – In the sixth movie, Dumbledore passes away. The teachers and students of Hogwarts gather for a large memorial service to honor him, with all lessons and exams suspended to ensure everyone could attend. Do your best to choose a time and date for your loved one’s memorial that allows as many people as possible to attend and pay their respects.
“Elizabeth Town” – The character Drew decided to take one final trip with his father, though his father is already passed, and his ashes are in a cremation urn. Drew spreads his father’s ashes at special spots along the trip, commemorating memories and traditions while honoring his father. Use this film as inspiration to scatter your lost loved one’s ashes at unique, special or meaningful places.
“The Big Lebowski” – In this movie, John Goodman’s character scatters the ashes of one of his friends out of a coffee can. While you can always spend money on an urn or another container, this scene is good inspiration to use every day or meaningful items to hold the deceased’s ashes.
“Star Wars” – In the “Star Wars” universe, Jedi knights are cremated in dramatic funeral pyres. While you don’t need to immortalize your lost loved one with a Jedi funeral pyre, you can perform a cremation service that will honor him or her in a similar way

These five pop culture references are excellent inspiration for your lost loved one’s cremation service. Or, if the deceased was a big fan of a particular movie or TV show, you can choose to incorporate it into the service through music, décor, or even a themed urn. For example, you could choose a cremation urn decorated with stars and galaxies for a lost loved one that loved “Star Trek” or “Star Wars”

You can make your lost loved one’s cremation service as unique as you want or as traditional as you want. You can choose to honor the deceased in any way, whether inspired by movies and TV shows or not. No matter what you decide for your Dublin, CA cremation service Deer Creek Funeral Service. Pay us a visit or give us a call today to learn more.

Getting Through Planning a Child’s Cremation Service

The death of a child is traumatic and life changing. How are you supposed to get through your daily activities, much less plan a cremation service in Dublin, CA after losing a child? These tips are practical suggestions that can help you through your time of loss after the passing of your child.

Plan Rituals – Rituals like cremations, memorials and funerals go a long way toward helping you say goodbye in a healthy way. They also help you express your grief in a healthy way. Don’t shy away from planning and hosting a service for your lost child, but also don’t feel rushed into planning one right away. You can always hold a memorial after some time has passed and you’re more settled.
Gather Keepsakes for Memories – Physical keepsakes are some of the best ways to remember a child after he or she passes. Gather keepsakes like blankets, toys, clothing, footprint or handprint sets, and hospital bracelets. You don’t have to hold them or display them if it’s too painful right away but do put them away in a box so you can have them later on when the pain of loss isn’t as fresh.
Take Your Time with Big Decisions – Take your time making any big decisions or choices as your grief might lead to you make choices you normally wouldn’t or might cause additional confusion and stress. If you have to make some big choices, like planning a cremation or dealing with something at work, try and talk over your options and decision with a trusted friend, family member or your spouse.
Seeing and Holding Your Child – Many parents that lose a child via miscarriage or stillbirth are given the option to see and hold their baby before he or she is prepared for burial or cremation. This is completely up to you. Many people find it a good way to say goodbye and have a bit of closure, while others find it simply too painful. If you decide to see and hold your baby, spend as much time as you need with your baby. If you decide not to see your child, that’s perfectly OK.
Allow Mourning – No matter what the circumstances of your child’s death, you will need to share in your grief with someone else. Whether you share with a spouse, family member or friend, you need to take time to mourn and grieve in your own way with the help of a loved one.
Expect the Unexpected – Any loss can have a large effect on your mind and body alike, so be prepared for a wide range of physical and emotional responses after the loss of a child. You might feel confused, afraid, guilty, disorganized, and angry, even all at the same time. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly experience surges of grief, even at the most unexpected times. This is all normal and healthy after a loss.

Funeral Homes and Losing a Spouse

From dealing with the emotional fallout to planning a service at a funeral home in Castro Valley, CA, the stress of losing your spouse can have a severe impact on your emotional and physical health.

When you get married, you’re signing on for a partner for life. But, sadly, death often gets in the way of this plan making the death of a spouse traumatic and stressful. That’s where these tips come in. They can help you deal with the loss of a spouse in a healthy and healing-driving manner:

Take Care of Yourself – Grief can have both physical and psychological symptoms. You may feel exhausted or in pain after losing a spouse or may find it difficult to think clearly or process your emotions. Many people try to numb themselves to deal with the pain of loss by turning to drugs or alcohol. This is unhealthy in the long run. Instead, take care of yourself by eating right, exercising, sleeping, and talking to a therapist if you so choose.
Avoid Major Decisions – Grief can cloud judgement or lead you to rash decisions. Try to avoid making major decisions after losing a spouse as you might not be thinking clearly after the loss. Put off decisions regarding moving or quitting a job till later, as any decision you make will be clouded by the loss of your spouse and might not be the best choice in the long run.
Acknowledge the Loss – It’s easy to allow yourself to get lost in the planning and details of a death, like planning a cremation service, and not allow yourself to feel your emotions. However, it’s important to take time to acknowledge the loss and let yourself begin to process it. Letting yourself mourn and deal with the fact that your life has changed is the healthiest way to proceed.
Memorialize – Remembering and memorializing a lost loved one, and especially a spouse, can go a long way towards healing as it allows you to reflect on the good memories, love and happiness in a healthy way. You can make a memorial with a cremation urn, photographs, or custom art.
Make a Plan for Personal Belongings – Take as much time as you need before taking this step but do make a plan for your spouse’s personal belongings at some point in your grieving process. It’s important to move on in the way that’s right for you, so do whatever feels right to you, whether it’s putting the items into storage, donating them to a charity, selling them, or leaving them where they are.

Dealing with the death of a spouse will never be easy, but these tips may help ease your process in small ways. Deer Creek Funeral Service offers a range of services. We are here to help if you would like to learn more about dealing with a loss or your options for Castro Valley, CA funeral homes. We are here to help you however we can in your time of loss.

Caskets Vs. Coffins

If you’ve watched a movie or a TV show, you’ve probably heard the term “coffin.” But what about “caskets”? Many people researching funeral homes in Castro Valley, CA want to know the differences, if any, between caskets and coffins.

What is a coffin? What is a casket? Are there any differences between the two? If you’re asking these questions, you’re not alone. The main differences begin in the details. Both coffins and caskets are burial containers used to hold remains of a deceased person for a funeral, wake, visitation and final disposition. In the United States most people use the more modern casket, but the choice between the two is ultimately the family’s or the deceased’s depending on final wishes and plans.

Coffins also do not have hinged lids. Instead, they have removable lids that must be fully lifted. Unlike caskets, coffins have six sides and are wider on the top than on the bottom. This tapered design was chosen to match the shape of the body as shoulders are wider than feet. The vast majority of coffins are made out of wood and are also finished with cloth interior linings, but they do not have exterior handles for carrying. In fact, any additional decoration or handles are not considered part of the coffin but are instead called “coffin furniture.”

Traditionally coffin furniture is used to display the deceased’s wealth or status. The other big difference between caskets and coffins is price. Caskets are generally more expensive as they have more decoration and use more elaborate materials. Coffins, on the other hand, require less material as the tapered shape uses less wood and thus lowers the overall price.

A casket is a special box made to hold the remains of a deceased person. These boxes are made in rectangular shapes with four sides and hinged lids. Caskets also usually have handles that make them easier to life and move and can be used for both cremations and burials depending on the material. Caskets can be made from a variety of materials, but the two most common are wood and metal. The average metal casket is made from stainless steel and the average wood from mahogany or oak. Most caskets are finished with soft interior linings to give the deceased a comfortable place to rest.

It is important to note that it may be hard to find a coffin manufacturer as they are not in style and not as popular.  At the end of the day, the differences between caskets and coffins don’t matter even though they are very similar.

Deer Creek Funeral Service is a Castro Valley, CA funeral home. We can offer you additional information on caskets, coffins and other funeral services to help you plan a service that will honor and remember your lost loved one. Call today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss. We are proud to be able to help you in any way we can.

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