Choosing Between Cremation or Burial

When it comes to funeral services, there are generally two options for dealing with the remains: cremation and traditional burial. Each varies in how the service is carried out, depending on a few factors, including personal choice, religion and cost. Choosing burial or cremation in Chicago, IL is not an easy decision for everyone, whether it’s a step in your pre-planning arrangements or a choice that’s left up to your loved ones. Here’s what you need to know about both types of services.

Cremation vs burial considerations

Of the two—cremation and burial—cremation is considered least expensive because it bypasses some of the costs typically associated with viewings, visitations and funeral services. No matter how you feel, take your deceased loved one’s final wishes and beliefs into consideration:

• Public considerations: Rapid industrialization calls for more land for constructing homes, buildings and other structures, and potentially less for cemeteries. In-ground burials may also raise concerns about public health. Cremation eliminates these concerns and also saves land space.
• Technological advancements: Although modern-day cremation equipment can break a body down to its basic elements, there will always be environmental concerns related to the gases released during cremation.
• Cultural and religious beliefs: This plays an important role in most people’s decision of whether to bury or cremate. Some religions, such as Orthodox Judaism, Islam and Eastern Orthodox, prohibit cremation. Most other religions allow the cremation process.

Facts about burial and cremation

So, cremation vs. burial in Chicago, IL—which one should you choose for yourself or a loved one who has passed?

• Fate of remains: The cremation process reduces the body to cremated remains in a matter of hours, while a slow and natural decomposition process follows a traditional burial. Cremation is not necessarily chosen because people are in a hurry—rather, it’s typically the final wish of people who don’t want to be put in the ground.
• Cost: The cost of cremation service is more cost-effective than direct burial, mostly because cremation doesn’t require embalming. Additionally, cremains are kept in urns, which cost a lot less than caskets.
• The process: Cremation is a much simpler process when compared to direct burial. Both types of services are safe final resting places for your loved one—cremation just requires far less physical space and less preparation of the body.
• Emotions: Back in the day, it was very common to live your entire life in the town where you were born. Today, many people live far away from family. Cremation offers the type of flexibility that burial cannot. A traditional burial leaves your loved one in a cemetery, whereas cremation doesn’t. In terms of flexibility, the cremated remains can be kept in an urn in a family member’s home, entombed in a family mausoleum or scattered someplace special.
• Cremation is final: Your loved ones can decide any time after burial to exhume and cremate, whereas cremation is an irreversible process.

Marik-Baken Funeral Services Ltd. in Chicago, IL is here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help with funeral arrangements. We also specialize in pre-planning services. Please do not hesitate to call us.

Categorised in: Burial Services, Crematory Services

This post was written by Writer