How to Choose a Coffin

Nobody ever wants to be in the position of choosing a coffin. Whether it is for a dear loved one or for your own use someday in the future, picking a coffin can be about as appealing as having root canals performed on all your teeth at once. Yet it's possible to make an intelligent, creative choice when it comes to selecting a cradle for the remains of your beloved (or yourself).

Instructions

1. Consider the personality and tastes of your lost loved one. Perhaps he was the sturdy and strong type, or maybe her favorite color was pink. Coffins are available these days to reflect any imaginable personal preference. If one funeral home does not offer customized services, you can find many more in your area that do. Just keep in mind that a many custom choices will cost you more.

2. Evaluate your budget. It may seem crass to take finances into account at a time like this. The truth of the matter is...your loved one has passed away. He will never be there to enjoy your choice of coffin. While you want to honor him with your selection and don't want to be stingy, never go into debt or put a financial burden on yourself to pay for a coffin. The extra money would be put to better use helping those who are still alive to enjoy it.

3. Look at the overall quality of the coffin. Consider the type of wood it is made from and the longevity of the other materials. Look into the history of the company that produced the coffin. You can check on any business through the Better Business Bureau and consumer-affairs agencies in your city and state.

4. Think of the morals of the person being buried. If the environment was an important issue in his life, it would be an insult to choose a coffin made from wood taken from endangered rainforests. Choose a product made in America if that was significant to him. Stay true to who he was as a person.

5. Consider other arrangements. If you plan on flanking the casket with a lot of flowers, a grandiose coffin may be altogether too much. If you plan on having an open-casket funeral, you don't want something that looks inappropriate to who the deceased was and/or what sorts of clothes she will likely be viewed in.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to get your crying done before you go into the offices to pick a coffin. Yes, these folks are trained professionals who deal with extreme emotions every day on the job. But you will feel better if you are able to pick out a coffin without the confusion of tears.

• Don't involve children in this process. Even if the deceased is one of their parents, making children even partially responsible for such a choice can leave them with guilt and nightmares all at once.