School Children and Their Dead Classmate

Vcelik’s New Studio, Northeastern United States

Real Photo Postcard, circa 1910

“Today, children are protected from viewing or actively participating in funerals with the deceased in plain view. In the first decades of the twentieth century, a popular style of postmortem photograph depicted dead school age children with their classmates or social peer groups, such as Boy Scouts. This photograph was made in the real photograph postcard format so that participants could have a copy and perhaps send one to friends.”

From Sleeping Beauty II - Grief, Bereavement and the Family in Memorial Photography by Stanley B. Burns, M.D.

FUNERAL FIREWORKS

(source)

There are many creative cremation options available for families and individuals who want to opt out of the traditional burial methods. Fireworks funerals are fun for the whole family! The cremains (cremated remains) are added to special fireworks. Although a relatively unknown practice, it is not new -- in fact, Hunter S. Thompson had his remains blown into the sky. Angel Flight is one of the more popular companies. For the service, friends and family board a giant yacht and watch fireworks (choreographed to appropriate music) shoot off into the sky and scatter down to the water.

The company offers many different types of fireworks, catering options and transportation of the cremains and bereaved.

This is slightly more expensive than the usual scattering, but it's significantly cheaper than a traditional burial. (prices start at about $3000 -- the average funeral in America today is about $10,000)

This is the ultimate way of celebrating one's life. Funerals don't necessarily need to be completely depressing and somber.

Demeter "Funeral Home" Fragrance

Demeter Fragrance Library offers some amazing products. Play-do perfume? Got it. Sawdust (my boyfriend's favorite smell in the world)? Got it. Candies? Of course. Funeral home? .... why, yes, they do.

According to the description on the Demeter website:

Funeral Home is a blend of classic white flowers: lilies, carnations, gladiolus, chrysanthemums with stems and leaves, with a hint of mahogany and oriental carpet. This scent actually started out to be Flower Show. Now our founding perfumer personally did NOT like most white flowers so this was a tough fragrance for him to develop, so he consulted on it with partner, Christopher Gable. When he first smelled this one, Christopher Gable exclaimed “It smells like my Grandfather’s funeral… Let’s call it Funeral Home!” So we did.

Fortunately, no formaldehyde is detected in the perfume.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog highlighting my professional interests! I hope some of my Hella♥Blog! readers and other funeral directors will like it. :)

I am a mortuary science student who is getting into the industry when women are joining in record numbers. 80% of the students enrolled in the mortuary sci program at my school are female. I believe this gender shift has made some real creative changes in funeral services. I would like to put a spotlight on the unique services that are being offered now and in the future.