The rate of cremation continues to grow in the US and worldwide (mainly due to cremation cost vs burial, among many other reasons). With this, more and more families are receiving 5 pounds of ashes back from their funeral home or cremation service provider and many people are left to wonder what they should do with them? How do they honor a loved one in a unique and respectful way? A new option that continues to grow in popularity is to memorialize them with one or more special cremation stones or rocks. This can either be a glass or solid stone that has their ashes incorporated into the piece, or a wood or porcelain stone that gives families the ability to fill with a small portion of their ashes.
In this blog we review the various options of cremation stones and explain the benefits of this unique memorial keepsake.
Types of Cremation Stones
Cremation Stones (Solidified remains)
This is a relatively new concept where some or all of a loved one’s ashes can be incorporated into one or more beautiful stones. These are typically a stunning white color and are made to last (will not dissolve in water and are very durable – most will not break apart if dropped). To make these stones, the ash is purified and turned into a material very similar to clay. Then, this material is placed into a kiln (a very hot oven) and the material turns into hard “stones”.
Glass Cremation Stones
Another option that incorporates a loved one’s ashes in the actual piece are glass cremation stones or touchstones. These are custom made by glass artists with your loved one’s ashes. The result are silver-dollar sized “stones” in beautiful colors that can be displayed in the home or any other special place. The Living Urn currently offers these in Lily Green, Ocean Blue and Peaceful Sunset (orange/red colors) with hundreds of five star reviews from families.
Cuddle Stones
Cuddle stones are small high quality ceramic stones that come in a variety of vibrant colors (blue, violet, orange, crimson, apple green, metallic, etc.). Each of these stones can be filled with a small amount of a loved one’s ashes and are beautiful reminders of those we have lost. Many people choose to keep their Cuddle Stone on them or in a purse or backpack to always keep their loved one close.
Wood Cremation Stones
Wood stones show off their beautiful grains and can be filled with a loved one’s ashes through a secure opening on the bottom of the stone. These are great for inside the home to show a stunning natural look.
Benefits of Cremation Stone Keepsakes
There are thousands of urn and keepsake options available to honor a loved one. You many be wondering, why stones? There are actually many benefits to these and we outline some of these below:
1) Easy to hold and keep close to you - Cremation Stones can easily fit in your hand or pocket and make for a great way to keep your loved one close without touching the actual ashes (which can be messy and uncomfortable to handle).
2) Beautiful reminders - Cremation Stones are aesthetically pleasing and come in multiple color and material options - making for beautiful reminders of loved ones! These can be placed in a bowl on a table, in a special drawer, in the yard, or anywhere else you prefer.
3) Can easily be shared - Cremation Stones make it easy to share with family and friends – this can give each of them a special reminder of a loved one who passed. Then, each person who receives a stone can honor a loved one in a special way to them.
4) Can be scattered or buried - If you want to scatter or bury a loved one’s ashes, you can actually still do that with some or all of the stones! This makes for a beautiful memorial and way to celebrate their life and you avoid some unfortunate situations with ashes (like having them blow back at you, spilling out during transport to the memorial site, etc.).
5) Multiple options - As mentioned above, Cremation Stones can be made from a variety of materials and can either have the ashes incorporated into the piece or simply filled in a secure cavity in the stone. In addition, many families will choose to simply get a few cremation stone keepsakes and place the remaining ashes in an urn or scatter or bury them. This gives you the options and flexibility to choose what’s preferred for you and your family.
In summary, cremation stones are great options for families looking to honor a loved one in a unique and special way. They can be kept in the home, placed in the yard, scattered or buried, or kept in a purse, backpack or pocket to always keep a loved one close to you.