A Celebration of Life Service for a Very Special and Loved Woman

We recently had the privilege of serving a family that requested our assistance in planning and organizing a celebration of life service for a young woman who died of cancer.  She was only 37 years old and left two beautiful, young daughters to be raised by their father.  When we met with the husband to plan her services, he was very adamant that the ceremony, as well as those components within it, was to be uplifting and celebratory, not somber and depressing.  He said that his wife and he were upbeat people, who liked to laugh and have fun together, as well as with their family and friends.  Therefore, he wanted his wife’s ceremony to reflect this. 

Our hearts instantly went out to the family.  In a very brief period of time, it was obvious that this was a very loving and close family.  Although there was much sadness, the husband continued to talk about and focus on all of wife’s wonderful qualities as well as all of the fun they had had together.  He also made sure that he involved his two daughters in helping to design certain elements of the ceremony. 

As we began to discuss what components he would like us to include in the service, we first wanted to learn more about his wife… what she was like and what she liked.  Based on this, we presented options to her husband that would help personalize her service.   A friend of the family offered a beautiful venue to use as the setting for the event.  There was plenty of space outside for children to play as well as a large pavilion that provided a place for people to sit and eat.  The husband’s employer provided the catering service, a further testimony to how much these people were valued by those they’ve touched. 

Although the option was presented, the husband decided not to include any clergy or celebrant and instead decided to hold a three hour event, where friends and family could come, have food and drinks, remember all of the good times they shared, and share those memories with each other.   We assisted the husband in organizing a memory table, which included many items that help provide an insight into his wife’s life.  One item that comes to mind was the Swedish Fish.  Apparently, she very much enjoyed eating this candy.  So much so, that she would buy them in bulk from BJ’s Wholesale Club.  This became a bit of a joke within the family, so of course Swedish Fish had to be included on the memory table. 

We were also asked to create a video tribute that would run during the ceremony for people to watch.  Because many of the photos supplied to us by the family were old and in poor shape, many hours were spent restoring these photos on the computer before including them in the video tribute.  These newly restored photos were then presented to the family for them to keep.

We asked the husband if he would like a DJ or live musicians to provide music during the ceremony.  He decided on a DJ.  After learning what type of music his wife liked, the DJ was instructed to play this type of music.  The DJ was also instructed, based on the husband’s wishes, not to play any “depressing” music.  The family also asked us to provide items for friends and family to take with them as a keepsake.

The weather on the day of the ceremony was beautiful.  The sun was shining and the temperature was in the 80’s.  About 250 people attended that day.  As I walked around, making sure that everything was proceeding as scheduled, it occurred to me how this ceremony differed from a traditional funeral service.  Although this was a very sad event, especially considering the deceased’s young age, people were openly talking and laughing, children were laughing and playing on the grass, upbeat music could be heard (some of the children were even dancing), and the “feel” of the event was more uplifting. 

Toward the end of the ceremony, we handed out balloons to the family and friends and asked them to join me out on the lawn.  I then read a poem and played a song, while everyone released their balloons together.  As they listened to the song and watched the balloons float up into the sky, many people hugged each other and cried.  After the song ended and balloons were no longer in sight, the ceremony concluded.  Many friends and family members, including the husband, made it a point to come up to us to say that the ceremony was perfect and exactly what their loved one would have wanted. 

It was gratifying and rewarding to know that we were able to provide an appropriate celebration of life service for such a wonderful and loved woman.  The husband even encouraged us to share his wife’s services, as well as some of the photos taken that day, so that others might better understand what a celebration of life service is and what some of the elements of these services include.

 For more information on celebration of life services, please contact:

A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc.

PO Box 2312

Methuen, MA 01844

(978) 289-9225

info@classictouch.info

www.classictouch.info

A Classic Touch Celebration has partnered with the New Hampshire Cremation Society

In our continued search to find new ways to assist our families, we have partnered with the New Hampshire Cremation Society.  In doing so, we can now help our families in arranging for the transfer of their loved one from the place of death to the crematory and assist them in filing the necessary paperwork with the state.  This all means that our families can have everything taken care of, through us, and at a lower cost than if they had contacted a funeral home directly in order to arrange for the cremation.

A Classic Touch Celebration’s services include:

•          Arranging for the transfer of your loved one from the place of death to the crematory (through our partnership with the New Hampshire Cremation Society).

•          Assisting in completing the necessary paperwork, such as the death certificate and cremation permit (through our affiliation with the New Hampshire Cremation Society).

•          Drafting and submitting the obituary to the newspaper(s) of your choice

•          Scheduling the inurnment and/or graveside ceremony for your loved one’s cremated remains at the cemetery

•          Helping you select the perfect location for the ceremony, away from traditional church or funeral home settings

•          Creating and coordinating the ultimate celebration of life service, including arranging the clergy, food, music, flowers, and other details, without the stress of having to do it yourself.

We also offer:

•          Guest/register books

•          Personalized prayer cards

•          Personalized bookmarks

•          Order of service programs

•          Video tributes

•          Photo boards

•          Various types of memorial keepsake items 

What is a celebration of life ceremony?

When someone dies there are many decisions to be made and usually not a lot of time to make them in. Of all the life events in which we engage, funerals and memorials are usually not well researched in advance - and in many cases not even discussed among family members. We are often left making hasty decisions out of necessity and lump all of our plans into one big basket called a "funeral." 

When a person dies, the traditional practice is to have some sort of funeral service, either at a church or at the funeral home.  Often times, there is a wake for the deceased the night before.  These traditional services, with black suits, quiet religious music, and people gathered around a casket or an urn are okay for some.  For others, these traditional, somber funeral services leave family and friends feeling as if something's missing.  For these people, these traditional services are heavy, sad, grief-filled and not an accurate reflection of the life of their loved one.

These days it seems as if everyone is tossing around the term "celebration of life" as synonym or a replacement for the word "funeral."  Many church's and funeral homes advertise that they provide celebration of life services; but are they really offering a celebration of life ceremony, or is it simply a funeral service with a different name?  With the term being used so frequently and by so many, people often find themselves asking "What exactly is a celebration of life ceremony?".  

A celebration of life ceremony involves more than just mourning those people that we've lost; it is a celebration of how grateful we were to have them in our lives.  It is a mindset that life should be celebrated. It is a special day when people who loved a person gather together to celebrate their life, happily, and remember the person as they were…alive, and vibrant. 

To celebrate a person's life, and the impact that the person had on his or her family and friends, people should not feel that they must confine themselves, either in selecting the location for the ceremony or the elements that they would like to incorporate into the ceremony.  Think of that favorite place you spent with your loved one, about the music and food that you shared, and imagine all of your friends and family re-living those same precious memories together.

These services can take place at any of several indoor or outdoor locations, such as a function hall, a restaurant, a historic building, an outdoor park, a beach, the ocean, or a person's home.  Some people think that in order to have a celebration of life ceremony, they have to forgo the clergy.  In fact, clergy can also be incorporated into the celebration, although it is important for the clergy to be uplifting during the ceremony and eliminate the "fire and brimstone" that can be found in some types of traditional church services. 

Food is often served during a celebration of life service.  Families may want to consider tailoring the food selections to reflect the cultural or ethnic background of their loved one, or even some of his or her favorite foods.  Music is another important component with these types of services.  The genre that is played is often that to which the deceased loved to listen...classical, jazz, big band, rock, county, pop, etc.  The music may be provided by a live musicians or by a DJ, and more than one kind of music genre can be played if desired. 

Flowers, a video tribute, various types memorial gifts, and various types of release ceremonies (dove, butterfly or balloon) can also be incorporated into the service.  People should also display items that reflect their loved one's hobbies and interests.  This is a good way to personalize the celebration and also to provide opportunities for friends and family to remember and talk about the good times involving their loved one. 

These are only some of the many options that are available when deciding to host a celebration of life ceremony.  There are many possibilities.  Often times, people who wish to have a celebration of life ceremony for their loved one decide to host these services within a church or funeral home, only to be told that these facilities cannot accommodate many of family's wishes.  These families are unfortunately restricted in being able to design an appropriately fitting tribute for their loved one. 

For more information on designing or hosting a celebration of life ceremony, please contact

A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc.

PO Box 2312

Methuen, MA 01844

(978) 289-9225

info@classictouch.info

www.classictouch.info

Some Misconceptions Pertaining to Celebration of Life Ceremonies

In speaking with several people regarding celebration of life ceremonies, I have discovered that many people believe these ceremonies are simply “a party” that is held at a particular location, where people share stories of their friend or family member, where food may be served, and/or where music may be played…in a way, combining elements of a traditional funeral home wake and a mercy meal (the meal that takes place after the traditional funeral).  While a celebration of life service can include these elements, there are many other available options.

Several people are under the misconception that if they wanted a clergy member to officiate a funeral ceremony for their loved one, they would have to hold the service at a church or a funeral home.   Many appear surprised when they learn that they can have the funeral service (that would have been held at a church or funeral home) incorporated into the celebration of life ceremony.  In fact, families have more options when working with the clergy in designing a celebration of life service because these clergy members can make the service either more or less religious, depending on the wishes of the family.  Also, some churches may have certain restrictions as to the content of the service.  These restrictions often do not exist within a celebration of life ceremony, allowing the family to have the funeral service they wish, at a location they feel more accurately reflects the life and personality of their loved one.

Another misconception is the involvement of cemetery services within the celebration of life ceremony.  Traditional funerals often conclude at the cemetery, where families may wish to have a dove, butterfly, or balloon release.   Families seeking a celebration of life ceremony can incorporate a cemetery service as well, where, as with a traditional cemetery service, the same dove, butterfly, or balloon release can take place.  These releases can instead take place at the location of the celebration of life ceremony if desired.  Release ceremonies are an excellent way for the younger family members and friends to be involved in the service.

In short, families interested in hosting a celebration of life service for their loved one should not think that they will need to sacrifice something that they would otherwise have been able to have if they conducted the funeral at a church or funeral home.  Instead, families should understand that they can have the same services provided at a church or funeral home, as well as many other services and options that are not provided there.

For more information on celebration of life ceremonies, please contact:

A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc.

PO Box 2312

Methuen, MA 01844

(978) 289-9225

info@classictouch.info

www.classictouch.info

Celebration of Life Options

When deciding to host a celebration of life service for a loved one who has passed, people are often unsure of what should be included in the ceremony.  What you include in the celebration of life service is completely up to you, unless your loved one had specific instructions before he or she died. 

A typical ceremony may include:

Speakers: Including the officiant, these presenters can talk about the deceased person’s life, hobbies, interests, work, etc.

Music: Live or recorded songs are appropriate and are usually of a genre that your departed loved one enjoyed. It is played sporadically or continuously throughout the service or only at the beginning (procession) and end (recessional).

Refreshments: Depending on the location of the service, guests can enjoy light refreshments or a complete meal. Family and guests may also gather at a nearby restaurant after the service.

Mementos: Scrapbooks, photo albums, video slideshows and personal items of the one who died are typically presented on memory tables and display boards.

Memorial Booklet: A simple brochure or pamphlet outlining the celebration of life service is given to all who attend as a keepsake of the event.

Memory Table: Display photos, scrapbooks and personal items about your loved one. For example, if he or she was a member of the military, you can display the uniform, American flag, medals or commendations, pictures, discharge papers, letters, etc.

Video slideshow: Typically one of the more emotional aspects of a celebration of life service, a video slideshow outlining the deceased’s life is a beautiful sentiment to add to this event. Include childhood photos, as well as those showing your loved one at his or her best. Consider making copies of the slideshow to hand out to guests as a keepsake.

Memorial notecards: On colorful card stock or index cards, guests can write a note to the family or their favorite memory of the person who died. These are then placed in a special memory box or bag and kept for future generations to read.

Plantable seed cards or tree saplings: Tree seedlings or personalized cards containing embedded flower seeds are a nice keepsake for guests. Once planted, the tree or blooming flowers will remind the guests of the loved one who died.

Memorial keepsakes:  A variety of keepsake items are available can be placed on the memorial table, by the guestbook, or at each guest's seat.  Keepsakes allow guest to have something tangible that reminds them of the person who passed.

Balloon release: Guests can launch their balloons into the sky at the same time. A poem or prayer may be read prior to the release, and a song is often played during the release.

Dove release: Releasing funeral doves as part of the celebration one not only pays tribute to the person who has died, but it can also prove emotionally uplifting and inspirational for the guests attending the ceremony. The sense of peace and closure is almost tangible.

Butterfly release: The butterfly is nature’s ultimate symbol of change, transformation and beauty. Releasing live butterflies for a loved-one is a unique way to honor and remember them.

Guestbook: As with typical funerals or memorial services, a guestbook is available for guests to sign.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to planning a celebration of life service. Be sure to keep the event in check with what your loved one would have wanted.  For assistance with planning a celebration of life ceremony, contact A Classic Touch Celebration.

A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc.

PO Box 2312

Methuen, MA 01844

(978) 289-9225

info@classictouch.info

www.classictouch.info

Celebration of life ceremonies becoming more popular, compared to traditional funeral services

When a person dies, the traditional practice is to have some sort of funeral service, either at a church or at a funeral home.  Often times, there is a wake for the deceased the night before.  These traditional services, with black suits, quiet church music, and people gathered around a casket or an urn is okay for some, but it is not favorable for others. Many people find these traditional types of services to be heavy, sad, and grief-filled.  Sometimes mourning a life just doesn’t feel right. Life should be celebrated. It is a special day when people who loved a person gather together to celebrate their life, happily, and remember the person as they were…alive, and vibrant.

Funerals should involve more than just mourning those we’ve lost; it should be a celebration of how grateful we were to have them in our lives.  Think of that favorite place you spent with your loved one, about the music and food that you shared, but image all of your friends and family re-living those same precious memories together.

Now you can have a funeral service that celebrates your loved one’s life at a place that has meaning to you.   A Classic Touch Celebration was founded with the purpose of providing celebration of life services to those people who do not want traditional funeral services but instead seek a more upbeat, celebratory type of service for their loved ones.  These services can involve either the cremated remains (in an urn) of the deceased or no remains at all (a memorial service) and can take place at location of the family’s choosing (a park, historic building, function hall, the ocean, someone’s home, or elsewhere).  They are committed to providing an appropriately fitting tribute for people’s loved ones, at a place and in a manner that the family feels more accurately reflects the life that was lived.

A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc. creates and coordinates the ultimate celebration of life services. They understand how stressful coordinating these services can be, so they do everything, including arranging the clergy, food, music, flowers, video tributes, various release ceremonies, and memorial gifts at various locations, without the stress families face in planning, organizing, and running these types of ceremonies themselves. 

Families may wish to host a celebration of life ceremony in the days, weeks, or months following the passing of their loved one.  Some families also host these celebrations on an anniversary of their loved one’s passing, on their birthday, or on some other day of significance (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.). 

When planning a service for your departed loved one, consider a celebration of life service. Each person is different.  They have different passions and different loves.  So why should every funeral be the same?  Remember, it’s about the journey!

A Classic Touch Celebration, Inc.
PO Box 2312
Methuen, MA 01844
(978) 289-9225
info@classictouch.info
www.classictouch.info