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How to Discuss your Funeral Plans with your Family?

Varun

17 January, 2023

Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are certain topics that we avoid talking about with our parents and other family members but the importance of that topic forces us to have a conversation regarding that tough subject. One such topic is ” Discussing Funeral Plans” with loved ones.

In this article you will know, why you need to discuss it and how can you initiate this conversation. Along with it, this article includes crucial points that one must involve in the discussion of Funeral Plans.

How to start a smooth conversation about Funeral Plans with family members?

There should always be a plan to perfectly conclude a difficult conversation as you can make up your mind regarding several things which are linked with the Discussion of Funeral Plans.

Here are some key points from which you can take help.

1. Decide the person

It is very necessary to keep in mind whom with you want to have this important discussion or whom you want to make aware of your funeral plans. It can be a single person or an entire family ( the elder members). You are advised to include those people in the discussion whom with you feel comfortable and safe.

2. Jot down the important points

It is quite common that when people start discussing an unfamiliar topic, they forget the essential points to mention. For refraining from this, you can write down the points on which you want to discuss the funeral plan like the place, type and time of the final rites. This method will ensure that you are not going to miss any points.

3. Choose the part from where to initiate and end it

During an unfamiliar conversation, the most difficult part is to initiate it and end it. While making up your mind about Discussing Funeral Plan, you can pick an initiating topic like, “I recently read an article related to the funeral plans….” or you can start with a reference to a person who passed away recently.

Similarly, you can pick a concluding statement for the discussion like,”I will surely attain peace with this kind of funeral ceremony.”

4. Do not suppress emotions

There is nothing strange about getting emotional while having a Discussion of Funeral Plans with your close ones but suppressing them will be strange for everyone. If you want to cry or hug your loved ones during the conversation, do not give a second thought for doing it.

Which points one should include in the Funeral Plan Discussion?

Discussing a funeral plan with your loving family members is one of the toughest discussions you have ever done and several people are not aware of the points that are the inseparable part of this crucial discussion.

Here are those important points that depict your wishes regarding your funeral plan.

1. Tell them about your choice between burial and cremation after demise.
2. If you pick burial, also tell them about the place where you want to rest peacefully or if you want to choose a cremation ritual, tell them about the immersion or scattering of the ashes.
3. Express your desire for decoration of the place where your final rituals are taking place.
4. You can tell them about the funeral direction company or funeral home also whose services you want to use.
5. A theme-based funeral is also in trend, express your wish if you also want to see people in a specific costume at your funeral.
6. What message do you want to give to the people who are going to attend your funeral? Like a thank you note.
7. Give the details to your family members regarding the postpaid funeral plan. You can also tell them about the funds which are going to use for your funeral by the funeral direction company.
8. Make the family members aware of the religious services that you want at your funeral and other last rites.
9. You can also tell them about the eco-friendly ways of disposing of the body after the demise and which one you want to choose for yourself.
10. If you want to do some charity or donate the needy people even after your demise, tell your close ones about it. You can give information about the fund that they can use for such kind activities.

Why it is necessary to have a discussion related to funeral plans with family members?

Some desires come to an end with the end of life and remain unfulfilled. To avoid such situations and offer a peaceful and desired farewell to your loved ones, discussion on Funeral Plans is very important.

Other factors that make it crucial for every person are mentioned below.

1. This conversation offers relief to family members and they get an idea of the planning of a funeral after their beloved one’s demise.
2. Taking decisions and utilizing funds wisely becomes easy after knowing the desire of the departed person.
3. A prior discussion of funeral plans helps people accept the harsh reality of life which is unavoidable and they learn to overcome it rapidly after the demise.

What is the appropriate time for discussing a funeral plan with your family?

Usually, people think that they have so much time to spend with their loved ones and they do not need to discuss a funeral plan now. But as it is well known that death is a completely unexpected happening in anyone’s life journey, you should wait too long to discuss it. It is never too late or too early to discuss your or your family members’ funeral plans.

Another way of expressing your wishes

As it is a difficult subject on which a family can discuss, you can take another way of expressing your wishes as well as knowing about others’. You can write the entire funeral plan on a piece of paper and ask your loved ones to read it. You can suggest they to express their thoughts on the paper also. This will comparatively an easy way to discuss a funeral plan.

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