What Can You Do With Your Ashes?

The arrangements we make for our deaths say a lot about who we were in life. Those who opt for cremation often choose to be scattered, buried, or interred in a columbarium. While these are all viable options, there are things you can do with your ashes you might never think of, and they're worth considering. You only die once, so why not do it your way?

Hourglass - The hourglass is a timeless symbol of mortality, and In The Light Urns offers an option of interring one's ashes in an hourglass, creating a poetic and highly decorative memorial for the mantelpiece. As Socrates so eloquently said, "Like sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."

Stuffed Animal - Teddy bears and other plushies can be a remarkable source of comfort in times of bereavement, no matter what your age. Numerous companies worldwide offer personalized, embroidered, huggable urns to help your loved ones with their grief. Just a few are Funeral Program, Perfect Memorials and Cami Bear.

Memorial Trees - Many a nature lover has expressed the desire to become a part of nature when they die, and many companies have popped up to meet this need. The Living Urn has created a patented biodegradable urn, which can be used to become a tree. With a variety of saplings to choose from, your ashes can become the fertilizer for a strong new tree. You can even be buried in a Memorial Forest if you like, and options are available for pets.

Helium Balloons - If you've ever wanted to emulate the movie Up, look no further than Eternal Ascent. This family-run business will store your ashes in a large balloon and meet your family at a prearranged release site. Following whatever services you choose, the balloon is then released, and your family can watch you float up to the heavens.

Portrait - There's nothing quite like a portrait to commemorate a person's life and death, and at Cremation Portraits, things are taken to the next level. This small business in Memphis, TN will use your cremains as the base of their paints to create a black and white portrait from one of your photographs.

Vinyl Record - Lovers of music and vinyl records will be especially drawn to this. Andvinyly is a British company that presses your cremains into a vinyl record. If you've got a message you'd like to send from beyond the grave, be it a few words of love or a song you wrote, this is the way to do it.

Tattoo Ink - Tattoos are a very personal form of art, and Cremation Ink offers a way to commemorate a death by mixing cremains into tattoo ink. Using sterilized lab techniques, your ashes are broken down and mixed in with the ink pigment. Utmost care is taken to prevent cross-contamination of ashes, so that the ink you present to your artist of choice will be exactly who you want it to be.

If you'd like to add another layer to a memorial, a company called Save My Ink Forever will preserve a loved one's tattooed skin in a frame after death.

Ammunition - Holy Smoke is a company founded by two retired law enforcement officers. Together they offer hunting and outdoors enthusiasts a chance to have their cremains mixed in with rounds of live ammunition. With a variety of calibers at affordable prices, your ashes can be used in a turkey hunt, dove field, skeet range, or anything you prefer.

Fireworks display - There's nothing like going out with a bang. In England, Heavenly Stars Fireworks will mix your cremains in with fireworks, creating a festive show for your loved ones to say goodbye. Cremains may be mixed in with a set of self-fire fireworks to set off at home, or you can opt for a more professional-level display.

Coral Reef - With the environment in constant jeopardy, it's nice to know that one's life, or death, was able to make a difference. Eternal Reefs is a company in Florida that will mix your ashes into a concrete "reef ball," which is then taken out to sea on a charter boat. With time, microorganisms will accumulate on the surface of the concrete and grow into coral, creating new natural ecosystems.

Synthetic Diamond - 'Cremains' is the fifth C of diamond selection. Using cutting-edge technology, your ashes can be reduced to pure carbon, which is then heated and compressed until it becomes a lab-grown diamond. With your choice of color and cut, you can become a sparkling keepsake for your loved ones. Companies offering this service include Heart-In-Diamond, Eterneva and LifeGem.

Launched into Space - Who hasn't dreamed of going into space? Thanks to a New Mexico company called Celestis, you can. Their Memorial Spaceflight Experiences offer various options for those who wish to make the great journey. Whether it's a brief moment in space before returning to earth, circling the globe, or traveling to the moon and beyond, you have the opportunity to send your ashes into the final frontier.