Unique and Interesting Ways to Store or Disperse Cremated Remains
Over the years we’ve come across a number of these lists on the web. – Unique and interesting ways to store or disperse cremated remains. – How one person decides to have their remains handles may seem strange to another, its a personal thing. Here is a list of some of our favorites.
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1. Scattering
Scattering the ashes is what people tend to think of in regards to cremated remains. According to Co-Operative Funeral Care nearly half of the people who choose cremations choose to have the remains scattered. We’ve written several posts about choosing this option and the things to be aware of when choosing a place to scatter remains.
2. Burial
Burial is another popular option for interring your cremated remains. According to Co-Operative Funeral Care 10% of the population has their remains buried somewhere. There are some advantages to choosing burial, urn burial sites are usually significantly cheaper than a traditional burial. And the burial site will be accessible to everybody to visit.
3. Columbarium
A columbarium is building that is basically a mausoleum, where a mausoleum is for a body at rest, while a columbarium is for cremated remains – which makes them very different when I think about it more. They are buildings used to house the urns that contain the cremated remains. And if you don’t have a stable place to house an urn and want family and friends to have the freedom to view it, a columbarium might be a great choice.
4. At Home
We’ve discussed having the remains interred at a cemetery, but often times people will choose to have the remains buried at home (1 in 15 according to Co-Operative Funeral Care). You can store the remains in a cremation urn, or bury/scatter in your yard. There are no added costs when burying the remains in your backyard, though there are some things to consider when you choose to burying ashes.
5. Planted as a Tree
Whatever your motivation the Memorial Tree Urn is a beautiful idea. Knowing that the remains of your loved one are being used to nourish the young sapling as it grows into a majestic oak, willow, cherry or one of the other 32 trees they have available.
6. Launched into Space
Have your ashes launched into space! Celestis offers several packages for journeying into the final frontier. From a trip into orbit and back to eart, to a more adventurous journey into deep space. For the person who was never able to live that childhood dream of space travel, this could be just the ticket – possibly a one way ticket 😉
7. In Fireworks
Angel Flights can turn your cremated remains into an amazing light show for all to see. The service includes 200 fireworks shells modified to hold and scatter the remains.
8. In Helium Baloons
Eternal Ascent can have your remains placed inside a helium balloon that floats up into the atmosphere. The balloon travels to a height of 5 miles where at the temperature of -40 below zero – it crystallizes and bursts, scattering the ashes to the four winds.
9. As a Coral Reef
Eternal Reef is helping rebuild coral reefs by creating cement structures that the coral can latch to and grow on. They will insert your remains into the cement mix before it is poured into the form which the coral grows on.
10. As an Hour Glass
Though the hourglass won’t be a reliable time piece, it will be a beautiful mantle piece. Just follow the simple directions and have your remains inserted into an hourglass to keep time, at your own pace.
11. As a Diamond
Life Gem offers the service of having a lock of hair or some of the cremated remains of a loved one turned into a certified diamond. They offer several different colors, carat sizes and gem cuts.
12. Mixed in Paint
Memorial Ashes will have the ashes mixed with the paint that is used in a beautiful portrait of the deceased. Though I suppose you could have this done locally , or maybe even do it yourself.
13. In Teddy Bear
The Huggables Collection can provide you with a more snuggly urn. These bears will hold a portion of your remains allowing a more cuddly memorial.
14. As a Pencil
This company has the idea to put your remains into the lead of a set of pencils. A set of 240 pencils in a case with a custom inscription on each pencil.
15. Hand Blown Glass
Have a unique piece of art created from your cremated remains. Art from Ashes will have your ashes put into the glass of a beautiful blown glass vase, be the beautiful centerpiece at every party.
16. Put into a Vinyl Record
This plucky UK based shop will have your ashes pressed into a set of vinyl records. You pick the artwork and the music, or you can have a spoken word recording to leave a final message to your loved ones, with that vintage popping and hissing of vinyl goodness.
17. Tattoo Ink
We came across a number of articles about this practice. Have a portion of the remains mixed with the tattoo ink before it is applied to your body. Reportedly there aren’t any health concerns. But you may want to run it by your personal tattoo artist first. Here are some memorial tattoo ideas.
18. Stained Glass
There isn’t much that can compare to the enduring beauty of stained glass. This shop will have your ashes mixed into the stained glass window. Have a unique piece commissioned and displayed on the wall or in a prominent window in your home.
19. Put Into Bullets
This is how you want to be remembered isn’t it? Your body may be gone, but you don’t have to miss next year's hunting trip. Holy Smoke can have your remains put into shotgun, rifle or pistol ammo.
20. Creepy 3d Bust
For me, this was the oddest of them all. Have your likeness formed into a 3 dimensional bust urn. This urn will not only hold your remains, it will also keep a watchful eye on everybody in the room.
21. From an Airplane
Scatter your ashes over a larger area. These guys will have your remains scattered from above, far above from their airplane. They travel all over the world for their work from Maui to the Mediterranean.
22. In Wine
When Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan’s mother passed away in 2003, he wanted to help her travel the world (she’d been paralyzed since 1975) – so he scattered her ashes across his vineyard, Caduceus Cellars and named a wine in her honour, saying, “she gets to travel the world now”.
23. In a Frisbee
The creator of the Frisbee, Walter Morrison, had requested that his remains be mixed into a batch of genuine Frisbees that were distributed amongst his friends and relatives.
24. In a Pringles Can
While we are on the subject of last wishes of innovators, the creator of the Pringles can had his ashes interred in a Pringles Can. His family decided to use the Original Flavor.
25. Memorial Jewelry
You can have a portion of the remains encased in a piece of cremation jewelry. Carry the memory of your loved one around with you wherever you go in a vessel of pure Sterling Silver or 14k Gold.
26. Glass Paperweight
We’ve posted several other options for infusing your cremated remains in glass. These paper weights seem like they could be a fun idea, though it does make one wonder how many of these end up in garage sales. Eeeck.
27. Ask Keith Richards
Keith has been quite open about his years of wild living as a salty old rock’n roller and guitarist to the famed Rolling Stones. He told a British music magazine NME in April of 07′ that he snorted a line of his father’s ashes through his nose. A statement that his manager later discounted as a joke.
This article was originally posted on USUrnsOnline.com