When a human body is cremated, what's left behind isn't exactly the same as what you'll sometimes see in movies and TV shows when bereaved families scatter the remains. Although there's certainly some matter that has an ash- or sand-like consistency, bone fragments are also commonly present. When you have a family member cremated, some crematoriums will automatically take the cremated remains and grind them to give you remains that are more consistent with what you might expect, but this isn't always the case. If you plan to do these things with the remains, make sure to ask for them to be ground.
Scatter Them
The act of scattering a deceased family member's cremated remains is a common choice for families in mourning, but it also means that you'll be seeing the remains for the first time. The last thing you want is to notice that there are a few bone fragments in the urn that you pick up at the crematorium — the bone pieces falling to the ground as you attempt to scatter the remains can be disturbing and upsetting. Should you plan on scattering the remains at a private ceremony, you'll definitely want to confirm that the remains are ground before you get them.
Divide Them Into Jewelry
Some families purchase cremation jewelry, which are pieces that are designed to hold a tiny amount of a loved one's cremated remains. Although the crematorium that you use can load the remains into the jewelry pieces should you provide them in advance, some people end up buying the jewelry afterward and have to load the remains into each piece themselves. If you plan to pursue this idea and expect to use a do-it-yourself approach, you'll appreciate knowing that the remains have been ground.
Viewing Them
Some people opt to keep their departed family member's loved ones in an urn at home, and while some of these individuals will never open the urn, others will occasionally open it to view the remains. This activity might not resonate with some people, but others may find it to be cathartic to some degree. If you think that you'd feel better being able to view the remains either once or from time to time in the future, specifying that you want them to be ground is a smart choice. If you have any other questions about how the remains will be when you pick them up, speak to a funeral professional.
