Personalization in funerals takes off.

According to the National Funeral Director’s Association, it’s the baby boomers who are driving the current trend toward more personal funerals. “Baby boomers see funerals as a valuable part of the grieving process and are seeking ways to make them meaningful.”

The beauty of this trend is that it means your funeral, or the funeral you are planning for a loved one, can be more meaningful and reflect hobbies, interests, or passions.

The business of dying in America is changing in ways unimaginable a generation ago. More families are eschewing traditional ceremonies for personalized and celebratory memorials. And nearly half of people now choose cremation, a fringe practice in the U.S. half a century ago.

At a motorcyclist’s funeral, a Harley was draped in flowers inside a reception hall. Some football fans prefer tailgating-themed funerals, as family and friends remember loved ones with wings, beer and eulogies. One memorial company even blasts remains into deep space.

Demographics are driving the trend. Mortality rates have plummeted over the last several generations. And with people dying later in life, memorials are becoming celebrations that tell the story of the deceased.

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Since there are no limits to how your funeral can be customized, your best bet is to do some pre-planning. Let your loved ones know what kind of send off you’d like and leave behind a record of how your funeral or memorial service can best celebrate your life.

Visit Funeralwise.com Planning Resources