2024 Trends in Funerals & Cremations

More and more people are opting for simpler, more cost-effective and more personalized services, often with an uplifting, celebratory tone. Joining with family and friends in more casual and informal ways, such as at outdoor or virtual gatherings, has become the preferred choice for many families. And alternate end-of-life options have also increased in popularity, with some states now offering new options like water cremation and human composting.

Here are the funeral and cremation trends you’ll see in 2024 and beyond.

1. Celebrations of life

Celebrations of life are becoming more popular with families as a way to joyfully honour their loved ones' memories. In addition to traditional service options, many funeral homes now offer celebrations of life. Some are even choosing to call themselves celebration of life centers to reflect their new role.

A celebration of life is a thoughtfully planned, typically uplifting event that focuses on a loved one’s story—their achievements, passions and cherished moments. It might be a huge party or a small, sweet gathering.

A family may choose only a celebration of life, or a celebration of life may follow a traditional funeral. For example, a religious service at a church may precede a backyard barbecue filled with music and recollections of happy times.

2. Personalization

A funeral, memorial service or celebration of life becomes especially meaningful when it’s lovingly tailored to reflect a unique story. Personalized services highlight a loved one’s interests, personality and values in a vibrant narrative.

A personalized service may include a display of mementos from a loved one’s life, favourite music in the form of a playlist or band, and a message delivered by a celebrant, clergy member or officiant that highlights a loved one's distinctive qualities. Even the dress code can reflect your loved one’s life. Think: certain accessories, preferred style, favourite colors or sports jerseys.

3. Modern venues

When many people think of a funeral home, they think dated wallpaper, dark carpet, heavy drapery and a lack of natural light. But funeral homes are changing. Updated funeral homes emphasize the light, airy feel of contemporary spaces, sunlight and special touches like local art. They aim to appeal to the senses with elements like soft music, aromatherapy, comforting textures and complimentary drinks.

The growing popularity of modern venues is reflected in comfortable, adaptable interiors. Customizable setups often include seating groups and round tables that encourage conversation among family and friends. Elegant table centerpieces and other decor may include candles, flowers, greenery and more.

This trend toward modern venues for funerals and memorials has left the building, so to speak. The U.S.-based National Funeral Directors Association reports that about 53% of respondents to a 2023 survey had attended a service at a location such as a park, beach, bar or museum.

4. Water cremation

Also called alkaline hydrolysis or flameless cremation, water cremation is considered by some to be a gentler end-of-life option than the fire associated with traditional cremation. Just as with traditional cremation, you’ll receive your loved one’s ashes to memorialize, keep at home or scatter.

For water cremation, your loved one is placed in a special vessel containing warm water and alkaline chemicals. To accelerate the natural breakdown of the loved one’s body, the fluid is heated and gently agitated. The process is similar to that which occurs naturally after burial—just much faster. In a few hours, all that’s left are bone fragments and a sterile solution containing salts, sugars and protein molecules. The sterile liquid is disposed of, and the transformation to ashes begins.

Water cremation is not yet available everywhere. As of June 2024, only about half of U.S. states and Canadian provinces allow it, and even fewer actually offer it.

5. Human composting

Sometimes called natural organic reduction, human composting closely mirrors the natural life cycle. Using components like wood chips, mulch and straw, the process transforms a loved one's body into fertile, healthy soil.

After being washed and dressed in a biodegradable shroud, a loved one is placed in a special vessel. Local wildflowers are scattered over the body in a gesture of respect, and the vessel is closed. The perfect mixture of elements helps microorganisms convert the body to soil. After about 45 days, this soil can be integrated back into the natural world. Families may choose to take some or all of the soil—it yields about 300 pounds—and use it to plant trees or flowers, begin a garden or scatter it in a special place.

Human composting is still quite new. As of June 2024, it’s legal in only a few U.S. states and there are no Canadian providers.

6. Dividing ashes

More people are choosing cremation for themselves and their loved ones, which means more families are choosing unique ways to memorialize, celebrate and remember. Someone who planned their cremation ahead of time may have specified for their family what to do with their ashes. Some families are left to make that decision on their own. Either way, ashes may be divided among people or places.

For example, a son may want to scatter Dad’s ashes at a favourite fishing hole. His mother may wish to keep them at home. His sister may want cremation jewelry. One of the beauties of cremation is that ashes are easily divided. They can be scattered in different locales, shared in keepsake urns, turned into diamonds or records, or placed in a cemetery garden or niche.

7. Death doulas

The death positive movement, led by Millennials, promotes honest discussions about death and dying, instead of treating the subjects as taboo. It’s part of why death doulas are becoming more popular among families dealing with an imminent death. Similar to a midwife, who cares for women during pregnancy, birth and afterward, a death doula provides nonmedical support to those working through the dying process.

Death doulas are, above all, a compassionate resource. Like their beginning-of-life counterparts, end-of-life doulas work to bridge the gaps between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of death. They walk hand-in-hand with individuals and families as they prepare for death, educating, guiding and assisting the dying and their families to help them face death, embrace mortality and grieve in healthy ways.

If the doula is also licensed to provide funeral services, she or he may talk with the dying and the family about planning a funeral or cremation.

8. Technology for convenience

Few things happen today without technology. Thanks to technology, planning a funeral, memorial or celebration of life is easier than ever. Loved ones far away now have the option of attending a service without ever leaving home. And at services, loved ones are being honoured in new ways.

Planners can attend an on-demand seminar or meet with a planning advisor virtually. Though you can still give us a call anytime, you also have the option, in most cases, to use an online scheduler to arrange an appointment. Planning professionals use technology during appointments to walk families through their many choices and help them determine what's best for them.

At modern funeral homes, audiovisual equipment is top of the line, and funeral directors help families with playlists and tribute videos. Family and friends can add photos and videos to digital obituaries. Livestreamed services also ensure that no family member or friend has to miss the service just because they can't travel for it.

QR codes printed on funeral programs give guests quick access to the online memorial. QR codes on headstones allow cemetery visitors to read stories, see pictures and watch videos of the loved one, providing more interaction with a gravesite than just leaving flowers.

And finally, when it comes to paying for services, online payment portals make making payments on prepaid plans easy, while crowdfunding websites let others support families who need help paying for services.

9. Living funerals

Most of us have heard the statement “Funerals are for the living.” In the case of living funerals, they really are. When facing a terminal diagnosis, more and more people are opting to hold a celebration of life before they die.

Sometimes called a pre-funeral, living wake, living tribute or reminiscing party, these gatherings bring together friends and family in much the same way a funeral after death might—the big difference is that the person being honoured is present for the event. A living funeral is an opportunity to celebrate a life lived, connect with close and valued relationships, and say a mutual goodbye.

Living funerals tend to be very celebratory and less structured than traditional funerals. A family may opt for a DJ or a live band, along with a dance floor. They are often catered affairs with plenty of food and drinks. And, of course, there are often tearful eulogies and memorable stories punctuated by laughter—the point being to allow the honouree to hear all the wonderful heartfelt sentiments often shared after someone dies.

10. Family participation

In recent years, more and more families have expressed a desire to be involved in a loved one's funeral beyond just planning and attending. Some are assisting a licensed funeral director with washing and dressing their loved one's body. Others are requesting to witness the cremation or even push the button that begins the process—an established tradition in some religions, including Hinduism.

A graveside tradition allows the family to place or sprinkle soil over a casket, but now certain cemeteries may allow family members to take part in digging a grave by hand. (Note: Dignity Memorial® providers do not allow this practice.)

These acts allow spouses, children, grandchildren and siblings to be much more intimately involved in the final stages of their loved ones' lives. They are priceless opportunities that create unforgettable memories.

11. Pre-planning to protect loved ones

Due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing death has become more commonplace. This shift is noticeable across generations and even in pop culture references. For example, while dancing with her friends in the 2023 blockbuster movie Barbie, the namesake character stops mid-dance party to ask her friends, “Do you guys ever think about dying?”

Feeling prepared and pre-planning end-of-life options has become more important than ever. Plus, as cultural preferences move away from tradition and more toward personalization, connectivity and inclusivity, people want more control over what happens to their bodies after death, how they are celebrated and how they are memorialized.

A prepaid funeral plan allows you to design the service you want—right down to the last detail. It also protects your family from having to make decisions during a stressful time and saves them from having to find the funds to pay for a service.

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