Sometimes A Coffin Should Be As Personal As Possible
Arguably, choosing a coffin is one of the most important funeral services that your chosen funeral home provides. While there is an abundance of different choices, of varying prices and materials, the end result is a six-sided box designed to house your loved one as they're laid to rest. Certainly, a coffin fulfills its purpose with appropriate dignity and respect, but you might feel that the choices on offer don't accurately reflect your loved one, and what they meant to you.
Similarities
It's not that all coffins look the same, but there are undeniable similarities from one coffin to another, with perhaps the only sense of the person inside being a photo displayed on the lid during the service. Perhaps you feel that your loved one's coffin needs to demonstrate who they were as a person.
Designs and Patterns
A personalized coffin is simply a coffin that features a distinctive design or pattern. They can be vibrantly-colored and decorated, utilizing existing templates that the coffin provider offers. These designs are intended to offer a reflection of the person you're bidding farewell to, and so it might feature illustrations of their favorite place, or a specific season, or a beloved hobby.
Photos
You don't need to stick to an existing template either. Many families opt to have photos included in the coffin's paneling. These photos could depict your loved one and their family, as a means of sending the deceased to burial while they're literally surrounded by happy memories. You can essentially request anything you want, although there are some limitations.
Copyrighted Material
A personalized coffin generally can't include anything that's subject to copyright law. So while you might want your loved one to be laid to rest in a coffin with the logo of their favorite sports team or cartoon character, there might be some issues with reproducing copyrighted material. The coffin provider will inform you about this if necessary, allowing a compromise to be found. While this is a way of ensuring that your loved one's coffin is undeniably theirs, surely it takes a while for such a coffin to be made?
Timetable
The coffin itself isn't custom-made, and it's simply a matter of adding a specific design, illustration, or photos to an existing coffin. It's often the case that a funeral will be arranged within days, and the timetable for receiving a personalized coffin reflects this. Your funeral director can make the necessary arrangements on your behalf and will ensure that the coffin provider is able to deliver the coffin when needed.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with a traditional, formal coffin, but sometimes you might believe that something more personal is the most appropriate way to bid a final farewell to a loved one. For more information about funeral services, contact a local funeral home, like Union Funeral Home-Lytwyn & Lytwyn.
