What Is A Witness Cremation And Why Might You Want To Hold One For Your Loved One?
Cremation is quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional bodily burial. It's less expensive, friendlier to the environment, and provides you with more opportunities to creatively remember your loved one after they have passed away, such as scattering their ashes in a place that's special to them. One type of cremation service is a witness cremation, which allows you to view the moment that cremation begins. To learn more about witness cremations and why you might like to seek out this service, read on.
What Is a Witness Cremation?
A witness cremation allows you to view the start of the cremation process. When you go to the cremation service for the witness cremation, you'll be led into a small visiting room that has a window looking into the main cremation chamber. Your loved one will be placed in a casket that you've purchased for the cremation or a reinforced cardboard box provided by the cremation service.
The container will be placed on a conveyor belt that will carry them into the cremation chamber. Afterwards, the flames will turn on and the cremation will begin. Some cremation services will allow the next of kin to press the button that turns on the flames that cremate the remains.
Cremation takes a few hours, so you typically won't watch the entire process during a witness cremation. It takes time for everything to fully combust and come back down to a temperature that's safe to handle.
If you have purchased an urn for your loved one's remains, bring it with you to the witness cremation. The cremation service will return the ashes to you in the urn that you brought. If you don't plan on storing the ashes in an urn, they'll return the ashes in a plastic bag or cardboard container.
Why Might You Want to Hold a Witness Cremation?
A witness cremation fulfills a similar purpose to the commitment ceremony in a traditional bodily burial, where the mourners watch as the casket is lowered into the grave and buried. Watching the process of cremation begin gives you a sense of closure and finality, especially if you choose a cremation service that lets you press the button that starts the cremation.
You have the option of holding a short service in the viewing room right before the witness cremation. The viewing room at most cremation facilities is fairly small, so this service will only include your loved one's closest friends and family. This gives you a chance to mourn and remember your loved one with the people that were closest to them, making it closer and more personal than a large memorial service held before or after cremation.
If you feel that a witness cremation is a way that you'd like to receive closure, contact a cremation service that offers witness cremations. A witness cremation is typically inexpensive, and it gives you the chance to hold a small memorial service right before your loved one's remains are cremated.
For more information on cremation services, contact a company near you.