Cremation Keepsakes: 2023 Comprehensive Guide
With cremation continuing to grow in popularity (mainly due to a lower cost of cremation among other reasons) families are getting more and more creative with what to do with a loved one’s ashes and how to memorialize them in a unique and special way. Many of our blogs cover unique cremation urns and memorials, but what else is available? In this comprehensive guide we highlight some of the most popular cremation keepsakes and the beautiful memorials that can be created with them.
What Are Cremation Keepsakes?
Cremation keepsakes are small sized urns or pieces of art that are designed to hold a small amount of ashes. Many families will choose a cremation keepsake in addition to a traditional urn, or use multiple keepsakes that collectively hold all of a loved one’s ashes. This gives families the ability to create multiple memorials or enable each family member or friend to have a special reminder of their loved one with them.
Glass Cremation Keepsakes | Cremation Jewelry Keepsakes | Scattering Urn Keepsakes | Traditional Urn Cremation Keepsakes | Unique Cremation Keepsakes | Cremation Memorial Keepsakes | Pet Cremation Keepsakes | Summary
Glass Cremation Keepsakes
One of the most popular cremation keepsakes are ones made out of blown glass. With these, a small amount of ashes are infused into the glass production process. Glass cremation keepsakes can come in an array of brilliant colors and shapes and can serve as a beautiful decorative piece to keep in the home. Many families will make these a centerpiece on a table, place them at the center of the mantle, or keep them on top of the dresser in a bedroom or study. You can also get creative and place a light beneath the glass cremation keepsake to make the piece and color radiate.
Cremation Jewelry Keepsakes
Another common cremation keepsake option involves jewelry. With a quick internet search you can find hundreds of cremation jewelry options, including cremation pendants, earrings, bracelets, and rings, among many others. In addition, there are multiple companies who will make a diamond or other gemstone that includes a portion of the ashes.
Each cremation jewelry keepsake can hold a small amount of your loved one’s ashes and serve as a wonderful option for those who prefer to wear a beautiful piece to honor the person who passed. In addition, many of the jewelry pieces can be engraved with your loved one’s name, dates of birth and passing, a sentiment, a symbol, and even the coordinates of their memorial or other special place.
Scattering Urn Keepsakes
Scattering a loved one’s ashes at one or more special places is also a very common option chosen by families. This can include scattering their ashes in the yard at home, at a favorite vacation destination, a nearby park, in the ocean, or other meaningful place. Also, many families cannot just narrow down one special place for their loved one’s memorial and choose to scatter at multiple locations, or have multiple family members and each wants to scatter some of their loved one’s ashes. For these reasons, small sized or “keepsake” scattering urns are becoming quite popular. Families can divide up a loved one’s ashes into as many keepsake urns as they want – giving them the flexibility to easily scatter at multiple locations.
Traditional Urn Cremation Keepsakes
With the increasing popularity of cremation and more and more families choosing to divide up the ashes of a loved one, many of the standard or traditional metal, wood, and ceramic indoor urns are now available in miniature or keepsake versions. With this, a family can divide up a loved one’s ashes and provide a portion to each of their siblings, children, parents, etc. and allow all of them to have a special indoor memorial for their loved one.
Unique Cremation Keepsakes
In addition to the more common cremation keepsakes highlighted above, there are also a number of unique cremation keepsake options that incorporate ashes. This includes a small urn made from wood that grows a succulent (The Plant Urn), painting, sculpture, tattoo, firework, bullet, stuffed animal, paper weight, among many other unique options.
Cremation Memorial Keepsakes
Many of the cremation keepsakes highlighted in this blog can make for a beautiful memorial. With keepsakes, a family can have multiple memorials of a loved one. You may consider having a piece of decorative glass infused with a small portion of your loved one’s ashes combined with their favorite colors and a tree urn to grow a beautiful living memorial with the remainder of their ashes. Or, you may choose to divide up a loved one’s ashes into 4 or 5 keepsakes – one chosen by each member of the family. Whatever you choose to do to memorialize a loved one, there is no “right” way to do it – just as long as it’s special to you, your family, and the loved one who passed.
Pet Cremation Keepsakes
Similar to keepsakes that hold or incorporate human ashes, pet cremation keepsakes are also becoming quite popular and make for a beautiful way to honor and memorialize a beloved four-legged family member. Each member of the family can choose a special way to honor the family pet with a special keepsake. You can also choose to divide a pet's ashes into multiple scattering urns to scatter at different places special to you, your pet, and your family. Or, you can give each member of the family a traditional keepsake urn to keep in their room or other special place in the home. Any of the keepsakes highlighted in this blog will work for pets, or you can find a unique keepsakes designed specifically for pets – this could include a glass decorative piece with a paw print included in the glass, or another special engraving designed for pets.
In Summary
When it comes down to what urn or keepsake to purchase, it is entirely a personal preference and there is no bad choice or wrong option. What would your loved one have wanted? What works for your family? What fits within your budget? These are questions that family and friends can help answer to make the memorial or memorials extra special and truly fit with your loved one.