Full-size funeral urns

Cremation urns come in many shapes and sizes. The most traditional way to remember someone you love is a full-size urn that will hold the cremated remains (or "ashes"). Most people are familiar with vase-shaped urns, but funeral urn designs can be as simple as a beautiful box. The cremation box can be square or rectangle, tall or short. These choices are very popular among families and the personalization options are numerous, allowing the cremation container to be as unique as the person being remembered.

Types of materials for full-size funeral urns

Urns come in many materials like stone, wood and metal. Let’s look at a few popular options:

• Stone - For thousands of years, stone has been crafted into items both utilitarian and inspiring. An urn of stone combines these characteristics, transforming a raw material into a work of art. Families may choose between smooth marble, tiger eye (dark in color) and natural textured stone.
• Wood - Possessing beauty, strength and warmth, a wood urn offers a classically elegant means of preserving a lifetime of memories and can be as understated or expressive as the person it honors. Consider a chest made of birch, cherry or red Alderwood. Some wooden chests have beautiful inlaid stone or wood accents to complement the color of the chest.
• Metal - Whether burnished to a fine sheen or antiqued to heirloom quality, metal offers lasting strength and unique beauty. Designs of all shapes and styles provide suitable selections for any need. Whether it’s a copper urn with red cascading flowers, a nickel-plated urn with blue accents and a dove design, or an understated, solid, polished pewter or cast-bronze urn, your metal burial urn can represent your loved one's personality.
• Glass - Some materials are ultimately made more beautiful through heat. Glass urns exhibit a graceful motion and elegant beauty and represent a unique way to honor and remember. Consider a hand-blown glass bowl with a gilded crown or a beautiful, jewel-tone glass urn.
• Resin - An ideal example of resilience and beauty, resin-based urns combine man-made materials with handcrafted artistry. Choices include a floral motif on a deep indigo or burgundy background.
• Ceramic - Ceramic artwork has been cherished by many cultures throughout history. It can serve as a beautiful way to commemorate a special life. Whether it’s an understated earth tone or a bold rose bouquet, a ceramic urn is a beautiful way to remember your loved one.
• Eco-conscious - The beauty of nature is unparalleled. These natural-material and scattering urns celebrate the serenity of nature and a personal connection with the land, air and sea. Options include medium-density, fiberboard urns, rock salt urns, sand urns or recycled paper and cardboard. Both the rock salt and sand urns are meant for water or sea burials and will dissolve in the water in a few days or as little as a few hours.

Many full-size urns allow for maximum personalization. The funeral urn can be engraved with names, dates, poems, images, Bible verses or any non-copyrighted writings. For your uncle who was a pilot in his spare time, a small airplane can be engraved on the urn. Or consider engraving a small bird for an avid bird-watcher. The funeral urn can be as unique as the person being remembered.