Honoring Your Loved One: Ideas for Cremated Ashes

Your loved ones are never far from you. Roughly one in five American households have at least one set of ashes or cremains. As more Americans opt for cremation instead of burial, this statistic may increase. 

But cremation can be tricky because there are many ideas for cremated ashes. Don't rush things. Take a look at the most popular cremated ashes ideas and find one that will commemorate your loved one the right way. 

How can you store your loved one's ashes? Can you bury or scatter ashes on private land? How can you turn burying or scattering ashes into a ceremony? 

Answer these questions and you can know what to do with cremated ashes today. Here is your quick guide.

Keep the Cremated Ashes in Urns

If you want a permanent reminder of your loved one, you can keep their ashes in an urn in your home. You can choose from a variety of urns, including ones with religious motifs. You can also wear mini cremation urns as pieces of jewelry. 

If multiple family members want ashes, you can distribute them. Each family member can buy an urn they like, engraving your loved one's name on it. 

If you do not want to store cremated ashes, you can keep the urn in a columbarium. You can also put it in a family crypt near your other loved ones. 

Bury Cremated Ashes

You can bury an urn with your loved one's ashes in a cemetery plot. An urn takes up less space than a coffin, and you can schedule a funeral or memorial service whenever you want. You can place a headstone or another marker above the grave so you know where your loved one is.

Some states allow you to bury ashes on private property if you have the permission of the owner. If you want to bury your loved one's ashes at their home, you can, though you should make sure the ashes will not interfere with animal habitats. 

Scatter the Ashes

You can scatter ashes on private land or public land as long as the ashes will not harm animals or plants. If your loved one liked to fly or was an Air Force member, you can scatter their ashes from an airplane. If your loved one enjoyed the sea, you can scatter their cremains from a boat, though you must be three nautical miles from land.

Feel free to turn the scattering into a ceremony. You can host a funeral or celebration of life during the scattering. Each person can scatter a handful of ashes while delivering remarks about your loved one.

Study the Best Ideas for Cremated Ashes

As more people get cremated, more ideas for cremated ashes get created. You have many options for urns, including mini urns or jewelry that contains ashes. Spend time looking at different options. 

If you prefer to bury ashes, you can put them in a cemetery plot, columbarium, or another location. You can bury or scatter ashes in any location where you have permission to do so. You can scatter ashes, allowing family members to participate and share stories. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed, you can get help. Urns.com provides premium urns and memorial objects. Browse our collections today.