Funeral Questions – Page 5 – Funerals Explained

A grave is where a person is buried after they pass away. It is a hole that is put into the ground where the body is placed, usually in a casket, and is marked by a grave marker and headstone. People come to the grave to pray about the deceased person and mourn their death. Some people spend a lot of time at graves so that they are able to handle the death of the person in a better way. It helps them to get through the mourning process. What Is A Grave Marker? A grave marker is flat and is usually bronze. It's used to identify the deceased that is buried there. A headstone is upright, and it has the dates that the person lived and may contain other personalized information. What Is The Average Cost Of A Grave Marker? If you are getting a very basic type of grave marker, you may pay several hundreds of dollars. When you get a standard option for a grave marker, you will pay from $1,500 to $3,000. If you decide that you want to get a grave marker at the higher end of the spectrum, you can pay up to $20,000. It will all depend on what you decide. When you are consulting with the company that you wish to go with, they will give you information so that you can make an informed decision. Be sure that you think it through thoroughly so that you are doing what is right for you. What To Put On A Grave Marker? When you decide to put a message on the headstone of the deceased, this is called an epitaph. You can summarize the person's life, leave words of wisdom, or something else that was very important to the person. In many cases, it will take a bit of time to find just the right words to put on a grave marker. That is because it's very important to them. The name of the person, the birth date, and the death date are also put on the headstone. This will allow other people to know where they are buried. What Is A Grave Blanket? Made of evergreen boughs, a grave blanket was used to keep the dead person warm before the first snow in the Northern regions. Now, they are also used to memorialize the person that has passed away in a special way. People use all different types of grave blankets so if you plan to use one, look around for just the right one. They are usually personalized to give honor to the dead person. What To Leave At A Grave? What you leave at the grave will depend on where the person is buried. Each place has different rules. Make sure that you follow them. Here are some ideas for items that you can leave at a grave if you are permitted to do so: Flowers: Both fresh and fake flowers are nice to leave at a grave. Make sure that they are colorful or important to the person that is buried there. Change the fresh ones when they die and make sure that you have special ones for holidays. Flags: Small flags are also nice to leave at a grave. The American flag and a flag of the deceased person's nationality are always nice choices. Most cemeteries have flag holders that you can put in the ground so that you can place the flag in them. Small Personal Items: You can put small personal items at the grave too. Make sure that they are not expensive in case someone should take them. Statues: Placing small statutes at a grave is a common practice. Make sure that it is not too large. It can be a cherub or angel statute to keep watch over the person that is buried there. Plants: Live, potted plants (paid link) are nice to leave at a grave if it is permitted. You will want to find some that last in all weather conditions. Take them home in the winter so that they will continue to grow and then, you can bring them back to the grave in the spring so that they will grow even more. Crosses: Beautiful crosses are great to leave at graves. Be sure that you can make sure that it won't blow away in the wind. Rosaries are also nice to attach to the cross for people to use to pray with when they visit the grave. Wind Chimes: Some people put wind chimes at a grave. You can do so if the place in which the person is buried allows it. Do not purchase expensive ones just in case someone might decide to take it. Grave Blankets: Grave blankets are also a great idea. Make sure that you get a nice one. Make it personal to the person that is buried there so that others can remember the kind of person that they were while they were alive. It will mean a lot to them. Small Mailbox: Some people like to put small mailboxes at graves. This way, people can leave little notes for their dead person. This is especially a nice idea when there are a lot of young people that have known the deceased person and that will be visiting the grave. Wreath of Remembrance Wreaths: Beautiful wreaths adorn many graves. Look around to find just the right one for the deceased person. Many people change the wreaths depending on the seasons and the holidays. It's up to you how you want to attach it or present it at the grave. Knowing all that you do about graves and what you can put on them will help when someone you love passes away. You will know what you are doing and that you need to make sure that these things are allowed where you have buried your loved one. It will make a difference for you and others when they come to visit the grave so make sure that it looks nice at all times. Find out more about the funeral plots used for graves in our article here.