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Theme Funerals
 The trend towards personalizing a loved one's funeral is growing. So are the many ways in which a funeral service can be personalized. As consumer research has shown, baby boomers, which are now organizing their parents' funerals, are moving away from traditional rituals and selecting new products and services that have more meaning for them.
Because each family is unique, they each have their unique way of personalizing the special qualities of their loved one and expressing what he or she meant to them and others. It may be their favorite pastimes, hobbies or sports, service in the military, church or community or career related.
In addition to the traditional ways of personalization such as displaying photographs, including a eulogy, favorite hymns or music at the funeral or having friends, relatives or colleagues serve as pall bearers, new ways to remember and honour the deceased are emerging.
Lifestyle Display
At a recent tradeshow in Toronto, Batesville Casket Company unveiled their "Lifestyle vignettes," or illustrative displays for use in a visitation room that focus on the life of the deceased.
Several themes were highlighted. For the avid outdoorsman the décor used was similar to that found in a typical hunting lodge or summer cabin. On a wall above the casket hung the preserved head of an antlered deer. A fishing rod, tackle and net rested next to it. A wooden, light oak casket, which matched the wall paneling of the cabin setting, was personalized with a red flannel interior, throw and pillow, and embroidered on the casket's inside cap panel was a large fish just taking the hook. A comfortable hat and flannel shirt were hung on a coat rack beside the casket and a small scatter rug placed in front of it.
Instead of a traditional bier, the casket was placed on a wooden table, which was similar in colour to the casket. The display also includes various plants and shrubbery that an outdoorsman might encounted while hunting or fishing.
A second display was a suggested layout for a musician. Aptly named, "Cool Jazz," the casket was placed on two loudspeakers from which background music could be heard. A drum set and other musical instruments were displayed nearby. Other ways to enhance this display would be to place cutouts in the shape of musical notes in the casket spray or lay music sheets around the visitation room.
 There was also a farm-themed display, which showed a casket resting on a rustic quilt, and at the foot a pair of rubber boots still muddy from use in the fields. Inside the casket a small toy tractor was placed in Batesville's Memory Safe, a drawer designed to allow family members to deposit notes, or a loved one's most treasured object.
Other features exclusive to Batesville that families can select to personalize a casket include a variety of Life SymbolsTM casket corners. These distinctive, hand-painted corners, available on select wood and metal units, are easily attachable and removable from the exterior of the casket. Appropriate as a keepsake, these corners reflect themes like gardening, patriotism, spirituality, golfing, outdoor activities and family.
Engraving on the exterior panels of wood or metal caskets is another feature offered. Examples of the types of engraving done include a love one's name, an insignia or crest, fraternal symbol, designs showing a hobby or professional pursuit, or a simple word like "Mother."
Referred to by the media as "theme funerals," Batesville lifestyle visitation displays and personalized casket features illustrate how creativity can contribute to lasting memories.
"Designer Caskets"
In addition to the many ways Batesville personalizes a casket, there is a company in Dallas, Texas, called Whitelight that makes customized caskets, referred to as "Art Caskets." The exterior of these caskets are decorated with images such as angels, religious figures and AIDS awareness ribbons. There is even a casket for the golf fanatic.
Another company, Ghia Enterprises of San Francisco, offers designer caskets such as the Jerry Garcia model. Painted on the top panel of the casket is a full psychedelic portrait of the late "Grateful Dead" band member.
Although designer caskets are not the type of product that will appeal to everyone, they have been designed for the baby boomers that are seeking unique, personalized services that celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
Cremation Products and Services
 Personalizing products and services has emerged as perhaps the most effective means to help families celebrate the life of their loved one. The individual wishes and needs of cremation families are no different than those who choose traditional services. In fact, it has been cremation families who have inspired the trend towards creating more meaningful funerals by including memorabilia and photo displays with the urn during visitation.
As a result of trying to meet the needs of cremation families, three product trends have grown in popularity. There are theme urns, urns customized with engraving, and miniature keepsake urns.
There are now hundreds of different styled urns available. For those who love flowers there are urns with floral patterns or just a single rose. Book lovers can purchase an urn in the shape of a book. There are even urns for golfers.
For gardeners, Options by Batesville have designed urns with nature themes. These include a sundial, birdbath, and wind chimes that are designed to hold all or a portion of a loved one's cremated remains and are suitable for use in your own garden. During visitation, they might be displayed with plants and greenery, a trellis or bench to give the appearance of a garden.
 Batesville's Dolphins urn might be displayed with sand, seashells, a surfboard or even a beach ball to create a setting for someone who loved the ocean. They have even designed an urn for scattering on water. It is a hollow cotton disc with a floral design on the top that holds the cremated remains. The urn will float on the water for two to five minutes before gracefully submerging.
Most urns may also be customized by engraving a loved one's name, picture or a scene that would have special meaning to the deceased. Through the use of computer-aided graphics, there are very few images that could not be transferred to an urn's exterior surface.
Keepsake urns, or miniature versions of the full-sized urn, allow individual family members to have their own personal memorial to their loved one. Reasons for their popularity are related to the geographic distance between family members and the location of the interred cremated remains. They are also a viable option when scattering is the final means of disposition.
Keepsakes, which may be used to hold a portion of the cremated remains, are available in many different styles, including sculptures of birds, fish, angels and stags. Miniatures of traditional hardwood urns are also available.
General
Creative displays can help families begin the healing process by encouraging them to remember the things that were important to them about the person and to think of unique and appropriate ways to honour and remember their loved one.
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