Many individuals are prearranging their cremation services or opting for cremation when a loved one dies. Besides some of the more obvious reasons for choosing cremation over burial, which include affordability and environmental impact, cremation also provides a myriad of options for what to do with the cremated remains.

We’ve scoured the globe to find some of the most unique and meaningful ways to memorialize your loved one or give you some ideas of what you would like done with your cremated remains when you pass.

Things to Do with Cremated Remains

‍Unique Cremated Remains Products

• Have ashes turned into a playable vinyl record with a recording of your loved one’s voice
• Turn ashes into a suncatcher.
• Go out with a bang–create a memorial fireworks display.
• Love the ocean? Have cremated ashes turned into a coral reef
• Turn ashes into a diamond! Choose your carat, color, and setting.
• Enclose cremated ashes within a cremation locket
• Cremation keychains are a great alternative to jewelry.
• A Stuffed toy keepsake like this Teddy Bear Cremation Urn may be the perfect gift for a child or grandchild grieving the loss of a loved one.
• Personalized Christmas Tree Ornament
• Solidify ashes into beautiful stones
• Have personalized pencils with your loved ones’ name engraved created from the carbon leftover from cremated remains
• Have a portrait of a loved one created using cremated remains
• Get a meaningful tattoo with cremated remains mixed into the ink.
• Was your dearly departed a devoted outdoorsman? Have a box of ammunition created with their ashes

Cremation Urns

• Go the more traditional route–display a cremation urn within your home. Keep in mind traditional doesn’t have to mean boring! There are unlimited options when selecting cremation urns, made of nearly every material imaginable–glass urns, metal urns, wooden urns; you can even design a custom urn!
• Did you know you can purchase cemetery plots for burying cremated remains? If interment is something you may be interested in, it’s a good idea to purchase a burial urn intended for this purpose.
• 3D printed urns give you the freedom to create nearly any kind of urn you can imagine–including 3d casts of your loved one. All you need is a good-quality photograph to create an urn with their likeness.
• Are you looking for budget-friendly cremation urns? There are no legal requirements for what can and cannot be used for an urn–any simple container from vases, pottery, or a jewelry box. In fact, the founder of Pringles requested that part of his remains be buried in a Pringles can!
• Mini urns provide the perfect solution for when cremated remains must be split amongst multiple family members.

Eco-Friendly Options for Cremated Remains

• Commemorate your loved one by growing a tree with their cremains. Kits are available online, which include a tree suitable for your growing region.
• Alternatively, you can have their cremated remains buried in a memorial forest, a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to a cemetery.
• Most funeral homes provide options for biodegradable urns that offer an even more eco-friendly option for cremated remains.
• Water burial urns can be personalized for the perfect peaceful send-off of your loved one.

Ideas for Where to Scatter Cremated Remains

• Send ashes to the moon and watch a live stream of the launch.
• You can also opt to have cremated remains sent into outer space–with curated launches to the moon, the milky way, or as a shooting star–complete with tracking of your loved ones’ location.
• Was your loved one an avid traveler? Consider an aerial scattering, which involves having a pilot scatter cremated remains from their airplane over a specific area. Make sure they obtain any necessary permits first!
• If a private airplane is out of budget, consider a drone scattering of ashes. Some companies will mix wildflower seeds with cremains before releasing over land, while others will mix organic coloring with cremains for a colorful release over the sea.
• Most U.S. National Parks allow the scattering of cremated ashes, but it’s a wise idea to check with the individual park to see what their regulations are. For many, it involves scattering ashes in areas away from parking lots, buildings, trails, roads, etc. Yellowstone National Park, as an example, also prohibits the scattering of ashes in thermal areas.
• Having ashes scattered at sea is a common final wish but cannot be done within three miles of the shore.
• Or you may choose a place of more personal significance–a favorite fishing spot, your backyard, or a park that holds special memories.

The options for what to do with cremated remains are endless and as unique as you are. There’s no one right way to say goodbye, and cremation allows you to choose the memorialization method that feels right for you.

After.com offers affordable prepaid cremation plans to ensure your final wishes are met while protecting your loved ones from the financial and emotional burden of planning a funeral. Request a free quote online today!