Choosing a Coffin

Choosing a coffin is often difficult due to the wide variety of models on today's market. There are so many styles made from do many different materials that one could spend days trying to select "the right one". When you start to consider whether they are eco-friendly or bio-degradable, the selection process can become quite tedious. You can even hire a reusable coffin for a cremation, which may or may not be decorated with motifs and colours. Some even may even have mattresses built in to them!

The good thing is that you will have time to consider the many possibilities, so you needn't feel pressured. A coffin is usually not needed until a few days before the funeral, and forty eight hours is usually the maximum delivery time. If you're choosing your own coffin, you can purchase it ahead of time and have it stored. Some people even make use of them at home, using them for storage, but this is not to everybody's taste, although having a coffin around the house can minimize the impact of death.

What to Consider When Making Your Choice

There obviously are a lot of things to consider in the purchasing of a coffin, but aside from the decorative and aesthetic aspects there are four main criteria which should always be met:

• The coffin choice should reflect the personality of the deceased
• It should suit the type of funeral you will be having
• It is affordable and won't put you under financial strain
• The crematorium or cemetery will accept it
• Environmental factors should be considered
• The height, weight and shoulder width of the person

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Having a Coffin Made by Hand

Another option is to commission a handmade coffin. This is not as unusual as you think, and is a choice often overlooked by many. Coffins were once made by the local carpenter, and with the tools and machinery available today, a fine one can be procured at a relatively affordable rate. Of course there are certain considerations that are unique to this choice, delivery time being the biggest concern. For this reason, handmade coffins are more suitable to people who are choosing their own.

You will need to know the height, weight and shoulder width of the deceased, and the builder will need to know if you'll need weight bearing or decorative handles. You'll also have to make sure the person making the coffin can have it lined, and if so, it must be with a light cotton or similar material. The great thing about having a coffin handmade is that you can decorate it yourself.

If You Decide to Decorate

The options for decorating a coffin range from painting to pasting them with pictures and designs. If you're comfortable enough, and they are as well, involve your family in the activity, it can be a bonding experience full of laughter and tears, and will prepare everyone for the impending reality that lies ahead. In the ensuing selection and exchanging of decorative ideas, memories will surface and can be shared by all. If children of an appropriate age are involved, it can be a good time to answer some of their questions about death. Some people choose to decorate their coffin in solitude, giving them time to reflect and experience their emotions on their own.

You can keep the decorating very simple if you choose to use a drape for the coffin. A personalized drape is an excellent way to tell the story of a person's life, reflecting their interests and experiences. Painted motifs, pasted pictures and words written with love can be used to decorate the shroud, and family and friends can add their own mementos. It's also much easier to involve children in decorating a drape rather than the coffin itself. Whatever you decide to do, take your time with it, and allow the process to be comforting and therapeutic. Remember it is about honouring the person you are remembering, and if it does that, everyone will enjoy it.