Ideas and inspiration
Humanist celebrants craft memorable and meaningful funeral ceremonies, intertwining personal memories with timeless human values. These are their stories.
A millennial’s guide to funeral planning
Author: Jessica Holloway Dyker Until you’ve done it, planning a funeral for a parent or loved one seems thankfully a long way off. Then it happens. For me, it was...
What Bill Oddie just taught us about the importance of discussing funeral plans
As a nation, we don’t like talking about death until it happens. People worry that speaking about what they want for a funeral will be seen as upsetting and morbid....
The rise of direct cremation – and why ceremony still matters
A direct cremation involves the unattended cremation of a person’s body without a traditional funeral service beforehand. It may take place at some distance from your home, and you may...
Music was a passion, and a way of bringing people together, for Ivan, Laura’s dad. In this blog, Laura explains how the family – with the help of their humanist...
What to Do With the Ashes of a Loved One: Creating Meaningful Ceremonies
After someone dies, having their ashes with you can feel like a precious responsibility. You may have brought them home after a cremation, or had them delivered to you after...
Talking About Death: A Plan for Conversations That Matter
Talking about death isn’t always easy – but it can be one of the most important conversations we’ll ever have. We’re encouraging people to open up about end-of-life wishes and...
Uplifting Funeral Readings: Bringing Hope and Comfort through a Humanist Ceremony
In the midst of grief, finding moments of light and hope can be incredibly comforting. Uplifting funeral readings – whether poems, prose extracts, or quotes – can play a vital...
Crafting a Meaningful Eulogy for a Humanist Service
Delivering a funeral speech, most commonly known as a eulogy or tribute, is a profound act of love and remembrance. It’s an opportunity to honour a unique life, share cherished...
How to Write a Funeral Speech (Eulogy): A Step-by-Step Guide
Being asked to write and deliver a funeral speech, or eulogy, is a significant honour, but it can also feel like a heavy responsibility, especially when you’re grieving. But, for...
Laughter at a Funeral: Choosing Funny Poems for a Humanist Ceremony
Funerals are naturally poignant occasions, marked by sadness and reflection. However, for someone who lived life with a twinkle in their eye and liked to have a laugh, incorporating humour...
Humanist Funeral Readings: Non-religious Choices for a Personal Farewell
Choosing readings for a funeral is a way to add depth, emotion, and personalisation to the ceremony. When planning a humanist funeral, memorial, or celebration of life, non-religious (secular) readings...
Poems for Funerals: Selecting Meaningful Tributes for a Humanist Farewell
Finding the perfect poem for a funeral, memorial, or ashes ceremony can feel like searching for a key – something that unlocks emotion, expresses love, and honours a unique life....
