Monthly Archives: November 2021

cremation services in West Seattle, WA

Sympathy Gift Options for Cremation Services

When you are going to attend cremation services in West Seattle, WA to support a friend who has lost a loved one, you might feel like you want to bring some kind of sympathy gift. There are plenty of options that can work well. And, keep in mind, if you attend the service, that says a lot to the person you care about as well. Here are some ideas for sympathy gifts that people often offer for cremation services.

Meals For The Family

One of the popular things to do is bring a meal to the family. You can offer to help with the reception, if they are having one, or you can simply take a meal to the family in the week around the cremation service or even beyond that. Take something they can freeze if they don’t need it right away and put it in a container they don’t have to return so it’s one less thing for them to worry about. Families that are in the grieving process often have a hard time taking care of basic things and having meals already prepared for them can be a big help.

Flowers For Service Décor

You want your friend’s loved one’s cremation service to look nice and be everything they want it to be. You can get some flowers for their loved one’s service to serve as a decoration. Making the venue look nice in their honor can mean a lot to their friend. You could even get a plant, like a peace lily, that your friend can take home with them. They will remember your support and their loved one all at the same time when they water that plant.

Gift Baskets For Comfort

There are tons of customized things you can do with a gift basket to support your friend. You know that person well and you know what kinds of things they might appreciate to honor their loved one. You could get them a book from their favorite author that just came out with something new. You can include bubble bath to help them relax. Snack items are always nice as well. There are plenty of options and you can make it personal for your friend and their situation.cremation services in West Seattle, WA

Cards And Money

There’s nothing wrong with going for something standard, like a sympathy card with some money in it. The card can show your support and let you write a few kind words about how you have been thinking of them during this hard time. And the money can help them pay for the memorial they are having or be something they use to honor their loved one through a donation. Either is much appreciated.

When you are going to attend cremation services in West Seattle, WA to support a friend, your presence can say plenty and really is the most important gift. But if you want to bring something else, the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory can help you with ideas and options.

funeral homes in West Seattle, WA

Choosing A Venue For Funeral Home Services

When you are preparing a final service for a loved one, there are lots of details that go into that planning process. The professionals at the funeral homes in West Seattle, WA are there to help you go through the details and make the plans. They will also aid you in making decisions because they can provide you with the information you need to make wise choices. When you think about the venue you want to use for the service, you might be somewhat limited, but there are always going to be options. Here are a few things to think about when you are choosing that important location.

Flexibility On Date

If you aren’t sure what date you want for your loved one’s funeral service just yet, check with the venues you are considering and see how flexible they are on the date. Or, if you have a date in mind and you want to stick with it, if at all possible, you might be able to rule certain locations out if they don’t have an opening on that date. The day you have the funeral will be important since you will generally want to have things set up within a few days of your loved one’s death.

Acoustics For Good Hearing Options

You need everyone attending the service to be able to hear well. It’s frustrating for anyone to attend a final service, wanting to honor someone, only to find they can’t hear the eulogy and the music is too quiet to enjoy. Make sure the acoustics in the location are good when you consider what venue you are going to use. They should have a nice sound system and perhaps even options for those who are hard of hearing.

The Overall Ambiance

As you look at the venues in person, or check out pictures online, you might want a certain ambiance. The room you use can set the tone for the whole funeral and you are going to want to ensure it sends the right message. You might want something bright and airy that has nice artwork and has a hope-filled atmosphere, for example. You don’t want a dark location that is too depressing. Everyone is already going through enough and they need hope, not depression.

Accessibility For Guestsfuneral homes in West Seattle, WA

If you have guests that have trouble with mobility, you need a location with good accessibility options. You might also simply want a location that is convenient and easily accessible for those who live in the area and for those who are coming from out of town.

The Amount Of People It Can Serve

Keep the numbers in mind as you look at different venues as well. If you want to invite only close family members and friends, you don’t need a large venue or it will feel empty. On the other hand, if you are opening the services to the community, you don’t want something too small or it will be cramped. Funeral homes in West Seattle, WA can help with all of the details and choices.

cremation services in Bellevue, WA

Helping A Grieving Friend Through Cremation Services

There are only so many things you can do when you see a friend grieving as a loved one of theirs goes through cremation services in Bellevue, WA. You know there’s really nothing you can say or do to take away their pain. At the same time, you want to help them through this hard time and your support really will mean a lot to them as they try to grasp what the future is going to look like. Here are some ways you can help them as best you can.

Support Them At The Memorial

One of the biggest things you can do, which is also one of the easiest things to do, is simply go to the memorial service. If the service is open to the public or your friend has specifically invited you, showing up can say a lot. You are there for them, whether you knew their loved one or not, and you are someone they can count on to be there for them even on the hardest days. You don’t have to bring anything special or say anything special. Your presence will say it all.

Help Around Those Services

There may be things that fall through the cracks around the services and if there’s anything you can do to help your friend, you should try to pick up the slack. That might mean at the reception, clearing some tables and cleaning up. You could package up leftovers in meal sizes and deliver it to their house. Or, you can do things that don’t relate as much to their services, like clean their home and get guest rooms ready for family that is coming into town. Your friend might not ask for help, but they likely need it and if you can pitch in, it’ll say a lot.

Don’t Avoid Them During Or After

cremation services in Bellevue, WAYou aren’t going to want to monopolize your friend at the memorial service, but don’t avoid them, either. Make sure you convey your condolences and if you see a time where it looks like they need a hug, be there to give it to them. Some people find that they get a lot of support around the services, but after that, everyone disappears and goes back to their life. Don’t be someone who disappears and, instead, be there for your friend and continue to support them. Check up on them and let them tell you stories and talk to you about their feelings.

Note Big Dates

You know your friend is going to remember the day their loved one died, the day of the memorial, and other special days, like their loved one’s birthday. Note those days on your own calendar and be there for your friend when those days come around. They will greatly appreciate the support and be touched that you took the time to remember such days yourself. You can get other ideas on how to help around cremation services in Bellevue, WA from the experts at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory.

funeral homes in Bellevue, WA

Writing A Nice Eulogy For Cremation Services

If you have been asked to speak at a cremation service, funeral homes in Bellevue, WA have lots of advice for you to put together the right words. You may immediately agree to speaking because, after all, the family wouldn’t have asked you if they didn’t think you were the right person for the job. It’s hard to turn down someone who is asking a favor while they are grieving, after all. But once you try to write something up, you may feel a bit more stuck. How do you put a long live into so few words? Here are some tips to help you write a nice eulogy for that memorial service.

Picture Their Life And Put It Into Words

Close your eyes and picture the deceased’s life. Once you have a good picture in mind, try to put that picture into words. You might picture the way they threw their head back and laughed, the easy smile they always had on their face, or the job that they did within the community. Whatever comes to mind is likely important and can help to illustrate a life well lived. You can also talk to other people about memories they have, which could help you spark something else in your mind or could be something you can share.

Make A List Of Things To Include

When you go through the options you have available for stories to tell or pieces of information to share, it can be hard to organize your thoughts. Instead, write a list of things as you think of items and you can cross things off as you address them in the eulogy. You might be able to prioritize things that feel more important and skip other things. You can always talk about those memories at the reception and with individuals during the service. You aren’t going to be able to go through the person’s whole life, that’s for sure.

Create An Outline

Once you have a list, you can outline the things you want to say and give an order to them. It’ll be a nice way to help yourself with your thoughts as you get together what you’d like to say. Having the outline can help you order and reorder things and get them lined up just right.funeral homes in Bellevue, WA

Write It All Out

Another option is to write the speech out, and you should. It’s a good idea to have a written copy with you so if you forget what you are saying, or get emotional, it’s there to back you up. Even if you have it memorized, the family might like a copy so they can remember what you said.

Practice It For Comfort

Practice what you write out as many times as it takes to get comfortable with everything before you move to funeral homes in Bellevue, WA for the actual service. It’s nice to have it feel like you have given the eulogy many times before. If you need more tips, Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help.