Best Ways to Memorialize Cremated Ashes: Display, Inter, or Scatter

Cremation has become an increasingly popular choice for handling the remains of loved ones, offering a range of meaningful ways to honor and remember them. Unlike traditional burials, cremation allows families to keep their loved ones close in various forms and settings. Whether through display, interment, scattering, or combining all three, the options for dividing and preserving cremated ashes are diverse and personalized. Keep reading to learn how families can divide cremated ashes and the various methods available to memorialize their loved ones.

Dividing Cremated Ashes 

Dividing cremated ashes is a thoughtful way to ensure that each family member can retain a part of their loved one. This can be particularly important in large families or when relatives live far apart. On average, an adult's ashes measure between 183 and 213 cubic inches, or approximately 3 to 3.5 liters. This volume provides enough flexibility to accommodate various memorial options without committing to just one.

Families might allocate ashes into several keepsakes, including urns for display, scattering tubes, cremation jewelry, or even transforming the ashes into memorial diamonds or Parting Stones. This division allows for multiple memorialization methods, catering to how family members wish to remember their loved ones.

Cremation Urns for Display

A cremation urn is a traditional and timeless choice for those who wish to keep the ashes at home. These urns come in various materials, including wood, metal, ceramic, and glass, each offering a unique aesthetic to match the home's decor and the deceased's personality. Some urns are designed as art pieces, blending seamlessly into the home environment while providing a sacred space for remembrance.

Scattering Tubes and Biodegradable Urns

Scattering tubes and biodegradable urns are excellent choices for those who wish to return their loved ones to nature. Scattering tubes are designed to be lightweight and easy to transport, making it simple to distribute ashes in meaningful locations, such as a favorite hiking trail, beach, or garden.

Biodegradable urns are crafted from materials that break down naturally over time. These urns can be buried in a chosen location, where they will eventually decompose, allowing the ashes to integrate with the earth. This method honors the deceased’s environmental values and contributes to the cycle of life.

Interment or Burial

Interring ashes in a cemetery or memorial garden provides a permanent resting place that family and friends can visit. This can be done in a columbarium, a structure with niches to hold urns, or by burying the urn in a family plot.

Many cemeteries offer memorial gardens specifically designed for the burial of cremated remains. These gardens often feature beautifully landscaped areas with benches and walking paths, providing a peaceful environment for reflection and remembrance.

Cremation Jewelry

Cremation jewelry is a meaningful and stylish way to keep a loved one close. Memorial jewelry comes in various forms, including pendants, bracelets, and bangles, each containing a small portion of the ashes.

Cremation jewelry is available in many styles for men and women, from simple and elegant to intricate and ornate. They can be made from precious metals like gold and silver or more affordable options like stainless steel. Many pieces also offer space for engraving, adding further personalization.

Memorial Diamonds

Transforming cremated ashes into memorial diamonds is a unique and lasting way to honor a loved one. This process involves extracting carbon from the ashes and using high-pressure, high-temperature conditions to create a genuine diamond.

Memorial diamonds can be set into various jewelry pieces, such as rings, necklaces, or earrings, creating a beautiful and enduring tribute. Each diamond is unique, reflecting the individual it memorializes and providing a cherished heirloom for generations to come.

Parting Stone

Parting Stone is an innovative option that solidifies cremated ashes into smooth, stone-like objects. The ashes are refined into a formable material and then shaped and polished into stones, resulting in multiple stones with unique texture and appearance. 

Parting Stones are versatile, allowing families to create personalized memorials that can be held, displayed, or shared among family members. They are a tangible and comforting reminder of someone special. 

Cremation: The Flexible Memorial Option

Choosing how to handle cremated ashes is a profoundly personal decision, reflecting the unique relationship each family member had with the deceased. Whether through display, interment, scattering, or a combination of methods, there are numerous meaningful ways to honor and remember a loved one. By exploring these options, families can find comfort and solace in the knowledge that they are keeping their loved one’s memory alive in a way that resonates with their individual needs and preferences.

For more resources and information, we recommend exploring From Headstones to Gemstones: A Guide to Memorialization or Creative and Unique Ways to Remember a Loved One with Ashes. If you have any questions or need personalized assistance, find a location near you. We are here to help guide you through your options with care and understanding.