When someone dear to us passes away, we often want to create a meaningful and lasting way to remember that person. Usually, that involves selecting a special memorial item. Keepsake urns provide exactly that. They are lovely, personal vessels made to contain a portion of the ashes of a loved one, to celebrate their life, and to allow families to feel connected in a special way.
A keepsake urn is a small container designed to hold a small amount of cremated remains (not any adult's whole body). Keepsake urns allow families to divide their loved one's ashes so they can be shared among multiple family members or to hold a personal memorial (or memorialize someone) in their home. Families often choose keepsake urns for ashes if they are gathering part of the ashes at a meaningful place and keep a small part at home. In some cases, families may select keepsake urns for ashes if the ashes are kept elsewhere for safety.
Keepsake Urns for Human Ashes: Why Choose Them?
When the urn is intended for human remains, it represents more than just being a receptacle. It becomes an intrinsic icon, a connectivity point. Keepsake urns for human ash have been designed with dignity and respect. Based on funeral-industry sources, keepsake urns typically hold 1-35 cubic inches of remains, and a traditional adult urn holds nearly 200+ cubic inches.
The difference in size creates a purposeful opportunity; a person can keep a portion of the remains in the main urn while letting other family members take the small urns that are keepsakes. The small urns are little vessels that reflect memory through presence, whether on a shelf or on a bedside table or in another location within the house.
Types and Styles
The industry of memorial vessels now encompasses a vast range of different styles, materials, and overall designs. There is a wide range of both mass-produced and crafted items at an array of price points. To be clear, there are:
Mini keepsake urns
Tiny vessels, usually around the size of your hand or smaller, that could hold a small portion of cremated remains or mementoes such as a lock of hair.
Small keepsake urns
Slightly larger than the mini version but much smaller than a full-size capacity urn; excellent for an individual portion.
Unique keepsake urns
These could be custom-designed or have meaning based on a theme, hobbies, or interests of the deceased. These could be engravings, colors, or materials associated with whatever fits the person being honored.
Keepsake cremation urns
Underscore the idea that this is actually made for cremated remains, including a good seal to secure the remains inside, and appropriate materials such as metal, ceramic, glass or wood. When families pick keepsake urns, they will typically focus on the style of material (e.g., bronze, wood, glass), the finish (matte vs. polished), the approximate size to accommodate the anticipated amount of ashes, and/or personalization's such as engraving names, dates, symbols, etc. This gives the vessel character in addition to being a container for cremated remains.
Materials, Customisation & Placement
Durability and style are impacted by what materials are used. Metal urns (bronze or stainless steel) are permanent and durable. Glass or ceramic can be elegant. Wood offers warmth and a natural beauty. Some keepsake urns even provide custom designs that embrace the memory of the deceased.
Customisation is on the rise: engraving a name, date of birth/death, or favorite phrase adds a personal touch to the memorial. Using colours or creative depictions relates to their personality. For example, a music lover might select a urn that is shaped or embellished accordingly.
There are many diverse locations where keepsake urns can be placed. Some families retain them in their home, on a mantle piece, shelf or shrine, while others keep them in a columbarium or memory garden, or even next to a tree or plant in a special place. The small size and shape allow keepsake urns to be creative and discreet.
Emotional Significance and Sharing Among Family
One of the primary motivations families favour keepsake urns is the emotional value of "sharing" the remains. For example, if you have a large family, you can divide the cremains amongst family members, with each family member keeping a small keepsake urn with part of the cremains. This lends each family member an opportunity for a connection to the experience, while the larger urn remains the focus.
Additionally, among the benefits a physical urn provides is the comfort of having a tangible reminder of a loved one. It is also the process of going through the grief journey, creating an opportunity for the memory and the opportunity for contemplation. A keepsake urn provides continuity, offering the opportunity to maintain a connection with the deceased beyond cremation.
Practical Considerations & Care
When you are contemplating the purchase and use of a keepsake urn, there are some practical considerations to consider:
- Be sure the urn is large enough for the amount of ashes being stored.
Check the quality of the construction—a secure lid, an appropriate method of sealing and spillage proof.
- Consider how you will display or store the urn, such as avoiding direct sunlight, extreme temperatures, and moisture.
- If the ashes are to be shared, once again, be sure the portions are the same and sealed the same way.
- Know the law or any regulations for your locality of your crematorium about storing human ashes in private homes or places.
Why Choose Keepsake Urns Over Full-Size Urns?
A full-size cremation urn is intended to store the entire remains of a person, whereas a keepsake urn is intended to hold a symbolic portion of the remains. This distinction creates many more options: where to place the piece, if any can be shared among family, if it can be carried to a memorial site, and even in how the remains are memorialised by scattering some remains and keeping some for display.
When smaller portions or memory items are planned, keepsake urns are a more economical and space-saving solution since they are smaller and not as bulky as a full-size urn. Keepsake urns are more amenable to indoor display or travelling to a memorial site. In this way, the decision is determined not only by capacity, but how the memory is to be memorialised and/or shared with family.
The process of grief and memorials can be complicated and deeply personal - keepsake urns may be an alternative and versatile way to celebrate a life lived. Whether you are interested in keepsake urns for ashes, keepsake urns for human ashes, or another keepsake urn that may represent a personal value of the loved one, keepsake urns provide a thoughtful representation. Keepsake urns range from completely small ones, mini keepsake urns, to large-sized small keepsake urns for sharing, making it thoughtful and easy to personalise, share the gifted keepsake urn with friends or family, each documenting another tangible means of connection.
