Funerals are most meaningful when they are personalized. Studies show that more and more people believe this to be true.

When you are planning a funeral, personalizing the ceremony should be a priority. Think about the special qualities of the person who died and what he or she meant to others. Allow yourself to be creative as you, together with your family, friends, funeral director and the person who will lead the service, come up with ideas to remember and honor the person who died.

• Write a personalized obituary.
• Display personal items or hobby paraphernalia on a table at the visitation, the ceremony and/or the gathering afterwards.
• Ask several people to share memories and talk about different aspects of the person who died.
• Create a personalized program for the ceremony.
• Ask children if they would like to write a letter or draw a picture for the person who died. These can then be placed in the casket alongside him or her.
• Select flowers that were meaningful to the person who died.
• Create a funeral that captures the personality of the person who died.
• Display photos of the person who died.
• Create a personalized grave marker.
• Many times the casket or urn used at the funeral can be personalized to reflect the hobbies, lifestyles and other interests of your loved one.