Home  /  What to do with cremation ashes? 11 Unique ideas
two hands forming heart shape, capturing the sunset

WHAT TO DO WITH ASHES AFTER CREMATION

Deciding what to do with ashes after cremation isn’t easy. With so many different options to choose between, from traditional ash scatterings and at-home urns to more creative memorial diamonds and tattoos, deciding what to do with your loved one after they’ve passed on can seem incredibly daunting.

Instead of being overwhelmed by the selections available, look at the vast choices as a positive thing. After many months of regulations and restrictions following the ongoing pandemic, 2021 is a time to embrace opportunity wherever we can. And being able to decide what to do with ashes after cremation can be a wonderful opportunity.

Table of Contents

THE POPULARITY OF CREMATIONS

While some cultures and religions have always preferred cremation over burial, the funerary practice is increasing in popularity all over the world. In 2019, 54.6% of the population chose to cremate their loved ones, making the act more popular than burials. By 2035, this figure is set to increase drastically up to 71.9%.

With so many benefits, it’s not surprising that cremations are so common. They’re cheaper than burials, have less of an impact on the environment, are easier to plan, and allow close friends and family members to maintain a physical connection to the person they developed such a strong bond with.

With more families choosing cremation each year, more and more people are having to answer a tough question: What do you do with the ashes after cremation? The average adult cremation results in a little less than 200 cubic inches of ash, which is also the standard size of an urn. That is a large portion of ashes to be responsible for.

TURNING ASHES INTO DIAMONDS

Although there are many different ways of repurposing cremains, turning ashes into jewelry is one of the most common solutions which continues to increase in popularity year after year.

At Heart In Diamond, you can use your loved one’s ashes to create a real diamond in honor of their memory. The carbon from the ashes grows into a sparkling gem, which is then cut and polished according to your preferences, creating a customized memorial unique in all the world.

When cremated remains are turned to diamonds, the resulting gem can be customized to reflect the most important qualities of the deceased. These beautiful gems are surprisingly affordable and often cost less than a burial, even when taking the cremation ceremony into account.

Memorial diamonds don’t use all the ashes created during the cremation process. You only need around ⅔ cup of ashes to create a memorial diamond, this leaves plenty of remaining ashes for you to share with other loved ones for scattering in a sentimental place or for turning into different keepsakes.

“Diamonds are forever,” as the saying goes, and when you turn ashes to cremation diamonds, that saying certainly rings true. Cremation reefs will eventually die, tattoos made from ash will fade, and cremation urns will break. However, a diamond will withstand the test of time.

But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of other loving ways to honor your loved one. When deciding what to do with ashes, many people, unconsciously or not, want to accomplish three things:

  1. Honor their loved one
  2. Create a permanent tribute to the deceased
  3. Find closure (or at least make the grief feel more manageable).

Today, there are many ways to achieve all three things at once. Here are some other creative ideas to help you decide what to do with ashes after cremation.

KEEP THEM INSIDE AN URN

Place the ashes inside a decorative container called an urn and display the urn in your home. This solution is a wonderful way to feel close to your loved one whenever you’re at home. You can also divide the ashes between multiple family members so each person can keep their personal urn at home.

PAY TRIBUTE WITH CREMATION HEADSTONES

When someone close to you is cremated, you don’t have to keep their ashes at home. If you want to create a space where you can visit that person to reconnect with them, consider burying their ashes and marking the spot with a headstone.

Cremation headstones play the same role as tombstones. The only differences are that they’re slightly smaller and mark the place where an urn filled with ashes is buried; not a body in a casket.

CELEBRATE WITH FIREWORKS

Give your loved one an amazing send off by incorporating their ashes into fireworks and setting them off. Cremation fireworks are an excellent way of celebrating the wonderful life the deceased lived and all the happy memories they created.

If you know your loved one would have wanted people to be happy and upbeat at their funeral, cremation fireworks are a great choice.

SEND THEIR ASHES TO THE MOON

It sounds bizarre, but you can now send your loved ones ashes to the moon. This way any time you look up at the night sky, you’ll know your loved one is looking down on you from space.

Sending ashes to the moon is particularly popular for people who were really interested in science, astronomy, and space exploration. While they might not have made it to the moon during their lifetime, their ashes can stay there forever.

MIX THEIR ASHES WITH TATTOO INK

Another option is to get a tattoo with the ashes. Some tattoo artists are happy to mix small quantities of ash with ink which you can use to design a tattoo. The pattern you choose is totally up to you. You can get a tattoo design you’ve had your heart set on all your life or choose something which represents the person you’ve lost. 

TURN THEM INTO A MUSIC RECORD

If the deceased was a big music lover, you can send their ashes off to be pressed into a vinyl music record. Much more than simply a decorative piece, you can request the record to have any song (or songs) recorded onto it. If you own a record player, you can play their record and listen to the deceased’s favorite song together whenever you’re in need of some comfort. 

BIOS BIODEGRADABLE URN

Another popular way to pay tribute to your loved one is by placing their cremains within a Bios biodegradable urn. You plant this type of eco-friendly urn into the soil and over time, your loved one grows into a beautiful tree.

The perfect solution for nature lovers, this option allows the deceased to live on forever in a different form. It completes the full circle, letting them benefit from the earth while alive, before giving back to the earth after they’ve passed. 

ASHES AS AMMUNITION

If your loved one was a keen hunter, they can continue their hobby from the other side when you turn their ashes into ammunition. Some companies will load cremated remains into ammunition cartridges for you so you can keep them forever.

You can have the ammunition engraved with the deceased’s initials or even purchase a customized box with a heart-felt engraving on the front in their honor.

STUFFED ANIMAL URN

Not all urns look alike. If you want to keep your loved one at home after they’ve passed, but you want something you can be more tactile with, consider a stuffed animal urn. This special type of keepsake is a stuffed animal which contains a small urn inside holding the ashes of your loved one.

Whenever you’re feeling lonely or sad, you can give it a hug for some instant comfort. Stuffed animal urns are particularly common for parents who have lost their child.

CONCRETE REEF

An option very few people know is available is turning your loved one’s ashes into a concrete reef. A wonderful way to pay tribute to an avid diver or someone who loved the ocean, a concrete reef is an urn-like reef made from cremains which stays on the ocean floor for eternity.

This type of eco-friendly urn provides shelter for all kinds of marine life and also gives you the chance to visit your loved one underwater.

SPREAD THEIR ASHES

A more popular way to pay tribute to your loved one is to scatter their ashes somewhere significant. If you can’t settle on one spot, you can easily divide the ashes up and spread them in several places. Or alternatively, divide the ashes up between family members so each of you can spread the ashes somewhere special.

HOW TO SPREAD ASHES

If you’ve decided you want to spread your loved one’s ashes, you’ve got another choice to make: where do you spread them? To help inspire you to come up with a beautiful concept the deceased would have loved, here are some ideas on how to spread ashes:

  1. Gently cast them into the wind on a breezy day so they can dance all over the land.
  2. Dig a small hole at the beach and bury them in the sand so they’ll wash out to sea.
  3. Scatter the ashes in a special part of your garden and cover them with a beautiful flower.
  4. Gather a small selection of family, hand each member a portion of ashes and ask them to say a few kind words before scattering them.
  5. Spread the ashes at a special part of town in which the deceased was born or raised.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

With so many options available, it’s no wonder people struggle with what to do with ashes after cremation. The choices range from relatively well-known and traditional solutions to pretty far-flung and unusual options. But one thing is for sure, if it helps you move on, it’s well worth it.

Because there are so many solutions available, deciding what to do with the cremains of your loved one is a very personal choice. Figuring out what to do with ashes after cremation does more than create a permanent tribute to a beautiful life. It can comfort you while you grieve. And that is very important.

Having to say goodbye to a beloved friend or family member can be excruciating. But paying tribute to them can help you to keep your loved one and your memories comfortingly close. When you decide what to do with ashes after cremation, their memory can live on, no matter what you choose.