A Celebration of Life, Not a Mourning of Death

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 12 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #16 in People, #665 overall

Remember them as they were

A traditional funeral service with black suits and quiet church music and people gathered around a casket or urn, is okay for some, but it is not favorable for many people. Sometimes mourning a life does not feel right. Life should be celebrated. It is a special day when people who loved a person get together and celebrate their life, happily, and remember the person as they were...alive, and vibrant.

Planning a Celebration of Life, A Simple Guide for Turning a Memorial Service into a Celebration of Life 

If you are planning a celebration of life rather then a somber funeral, you will want to pick up this book. It tells you all you need to know.

Planning a Celebration of Life, A Simple Guide for Turning a Memorial Service into a Celebration of Life

Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

This book is full of unique and creative Life Celebration ideas that will help you creat a memorable and personalized celebration. Including: Activities like dove releases and candle lighting ceremonies, remembrance poem and song collections, flowers, food and drink ideas, parting gifts, remembering and coping ideas, a guide to scattering remains, 10 ideas for creating a memorial to keep the memory of your loved one alive.

Photos from Celebrations and Memorials 

Mom & Uncle Bob by SpooSpa

After funeral dance

Celebration of Life by ONE/MILLION

Out to sea

Crowd Shot III by blmurch

Russ Riviere Celebration

Crowd Shot by blmurch

Russ Riviere Celebration

TONY PLAYS  FOR VERNON by oneeyeddogblues

Vernon's Memorial

0080vi by l*ght//m_tion

Funeral Parade

Video Clips 

View some celebrations honoring the lives of loved ones.

Barry's Jazz Funeral III

Celebration of Life

Helen Hill Jazz Funeral Parade

Gypsy Funeral

Maurice Brown@ "Missing Alvin Batiste" Jazz Fest Funeral 07

Speeches at Rex Celebration of Life

Dealing Creatively With Death: A Manual of Death Education and Simple Burial 

Dealing Creatively With Death: A Manual of Death Education and Simple Burial

Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

Now in its 14th edition, this classic book has sold more than 300,000 copies in earlier editions. It is a small encyclopedia on death-related problems; social, emotional, philosophical and practical. It is written simply and sensitively, drawing substantially on direct experience. It is thoroughly updated from previous editions. Topics include Death Education; Living with Dying; Bereavement; The Right to Die; Simple Burial and Cremation; Funeral Consumer Organizations; Death Ceremonies; and How the Dead can Help the Living.

Concentrate on how they lived, not on how they died 

Sometimes death is a sudden tragedy, and sometimes it is a long expected one. Do not let the death of a person impede on the circumstances of their memorial. Celebrate their LIFE.

Traditionally dressed kids by NeilsPhotography

Traditionally dressed

Motorcycle Officers by OpenSkyMedia

Motorcycle officers

A rose petal memorial amongst the final remains of a loved one marks the end of a life by mikebaird

rose petal memorial

They men congregate to do a shot by craigemorsels

The men do a shot

Jazz Funeral by howieluvzus

Jazz Funeral

Pcola 2009, Patriot Guard funeral escort by divemasterking2000

Motorcycle Funeral

Gaben balinese funeral 2007-06-10 12-49-09 by kibitan

Bali Funeral

Funeral Robert Jasper Grootveld 05 by 24oranges.nl

Music Funeral

Funeral Robert Jasper Grootveld 13 by 24oranges.nl

Funeral raft

Chris, Andy, and Peter take the ashes into the ocean by AndrewEick

ashes into the ocean

Celebration of Life Links 

Sites to help you plan your Memorial Celebration

How to Plan a Memorial or Celebration of Life Service
This article helps explain the major topics involved in planning a memorial service of Celebration of Life ceremony from selecting the location and date to finding ways of sharing and preserving memories.
The Funeral - A Celebration of Life
Funeral - A Celebration of Life?
Unique Funeral Ideas: Planning a fitting celebration of a young man's life
When a young man without religious affiliation died suddenly, his family created a celebration that accurately shared highlights of his life
Celebration of Life Stories
Celebrating the life of a loved one is a deeply personal opportunity. Today there are so many ways to truly express who that was. What was their life was like? What did they valued most.
How to Plan a Memorial Service: Planning a Celebration of Life Service or Memorial Ceremony
A Memorial Service is a unique way to honor the memory of a loved one who has died, to express love and affection and most of all to Celebrate a Life.

Remember them as life, not as death 

Sharing by Temeculamom

Drums by Temeculamom

Drumbeat by Temeculamom

Waiting to release the butterflies by Temeculamom

Juju by Mizz Amontillado

9th Ward Memorial by howieluvzus

0121vi by l*ght//m_tion

Surfer Funeral by lou~lou~w

Motorcycle Hearse by MR38

Hell's Angels' "Gentleman Gerry" Funeral Cortege Goes Through London by DG Jones

BHTD by Symic

Not sure you can celebrate? 

If you are not sure whether you can celebrate, then you need to come to grips with the fact that death will come. It is inevitable. It may be sudden, or well foreseen. Either way, death is a time to remember life. If you think you will not make it though a celebration of life memorial, or you need to help someone else who is not ready, pick up one of these books, to help you through.

Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death

Amazon Price: $17.90 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

Embraced by the Light

Amazon Price: $7.50 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

Talking about Death Won't Kill You

Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

Good Grief Rituals: Tools for Healing : A Healing Companion

Amazon Price: $13.95 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

Celebration of Life: A Ten-Step Planning Guide

Amazon Price: $13.95 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

Africa Celebrates 


In Celebration of Life

Kinshasa.--A Funeral Dance

Funeral dance in Dogon country

Final Celebrations: A Guide for Personal and Family Funeral Planning 

Final Celebrations: A Guide for Personal and Family Funeral Planning

List Price: $9.95
Used Price: $0.01

Usually ships in 24 hours

He Was a Good Man, But Now He's Gone 

by M. Ward

M. Ward : "Requiem"

M. Ward music video for Requiem, from the album Post-War (2006). Directed by Santi G. Aguado Cinematography by Jose Luis Pulido

Runtime: 2:47
187838 views
10 Comments:

powered by YouTube

Guestbook 

Leave your messages, questions, and comments for us:

LifeAdviceSite wrote...

I love this. It's touching and meaningful. Death is only a new beginning and never an end despite how final it might seem.

ReplyPosted July 02, 2009

hlkljgk wrote...

totally agree. if not at services, at least in time. we lost my brother when he was young and my mother still can't recall any happy times, which i find so sad.

ReplyPosted June 23, 2009

Suzie-Shine wrote...

My lovely grandfather, Pops, died recently and we did our best to celebrate his life. I found it hard on the day of his funeral but afterwards, once everyone got talking about him, we were actually laughing at all of the fun times he had given us. I still miss him though.
Suzie

ReplyPosted June 17, 2009

jesscee88 wrote...

People rarely talk about death in a realistic manner. It's either morbid or dramatic. But it happens, there's nothing we can do to avoid it. You are right that it should be planned to celebrate a life lived of a person who made his/her mark in our lives. Thanks!

ReplyPosted May 16, 2009

gurum wrote...

In spirituality there is a way to celebrate the life and death also

ReplyPosted May 13, 2009

Snozzle wrote...

I agree about celebrating a life but sometimes it's a hard thing to do. I think it depends partly on how the person died.
Mike

ReplyPosted April 26, 2009

karen550 wrote...

I love this concept, and I agree. I have always tried to celebrate life rather than dwell on the other. Thank you so much for your thoughts.

ReplyPosted April 22, 2009

Lensmaster

BJ Glick wrote

Thank You

Reply Posted February 20, 2009

Lensmaster

Mary Hickey wrote

Nice job on your lens, also thanks for featuring my book, Planning a Celebration of Life many have found it very helpful. Your viewers may like these eco friendly plantable heart cards, they are personalized cards and when they are planted wildflowers grow in memory of your loved one. They are becoming very popular for life celebrations, you can find them here http://nextgenmemorials.com/seedcardheart.html

Reply Posted July 22, 2008

Joan4 wrote...

Absolutely wonderful lens and so very true!! Hopefully we are moving away from the somber dark events and more toward celebrations of life. My father used to teach us "death is a part of life". He was right!

ReplyPosted July 01, 2008

 
1 of 2 pages