Every holiday season we rack our brains trying to think of the best gifts we can give our friends and loved ones.

Some of us choose to make our gifts, while others prefer buying popular consumer items, like hot new electronics or trendy gift box subscriptions. 

But no matter what our preferred gift-giving medium is, we always seek to achieve one overarching goal with our holiday gifts: to demonstrate to the recipient that we both treasure their presence in our lives and understand what matters to them.

Many of us are used to giving material gifts, but have you ever considered a gift that is more abstract in nature, but is just as impactful, if not more, than something you craft with your hands or purchase at the mall?

Funeral pre-planning for yourself is exactly that sort of abstract yet impactful gift.

The idea of doing something for yourself as a gift for others may seem a bit counterintuitive at first. After all, you are creating plans and spending money on something that you will be at the center of, which hardly seems like a way of honoring your relationship with others.

Nonetheless, taking control of your end-of-life arrangement plans by documenting your final wishes and planning for how they will be funded is one of the most selfless gifts you can give to those who are closest to you.

What makes pre-planning such an impactful gift?

Part of what makes pre-planning as a gift so special is that it is one that is not fully realized until after you are gone. 

It can be overwhelming to imagine a world that you are not a part of anymore, but just imagine how overwhelmed your loved ones will feel in the aftermath of your passing.

Pre-planning, pre-funding, and the peace of mind that comes along with having these difficult decisions figured out ahead of time is exactly the thing that can make all the difference during this difficult time.

Benefits of pre-planning

Consider these benefits:

Prevent overspending. 

Without a plan, families can end up unnecessarily spending thousands of dollars on funeral elements you don’t actually want out of fear of disrespecting your memory. With a prearranged plan you can dictate exactly what you want and how much is to be spent on it.

Get all the details settled ahead of time.

Did you know there are more than 130 decisions that need to be made when planning a funeral? That’s enough decisions to overwhelm someone on an average day, much less in the wake of losing someone they love. When you pre-plan, you have the opportunity to get all your wishes down in writing, so your loved ones have a clear plan for how arrangements are to be conducted.

Plan the arrangements your way.

Beyond just removing the burden of decision-making from others, pre-planning affords you the ability to plan your service exactly the way you would like it to be conducted. Whether that be the service’s location, attendees, or the general tone of the event (formal vs. informal, etc) as a whole, by planning ahead you can coordinate every detail to your liking.

Peace of mind.

All told, it’s hard to overstate the impact that the peace of mind of planning brings your life and your loved ones. Making these decisions and coordinating these processes ahead of time is an incredibly selfless act that those around you will be forever grateful for.

How to get started

Beginning this process is easy. Planning Daisies can help by setting up a free appointment with a pre-planning advisor at one of our recommended funeral homes. 

All of our partners can help you review available options, answer any questions you or your family may have, and walk you through the pre-planning process for all types of funeral arrangements and payment plans.

From all of us at Planning Daisies, we hope you have a wonderful holiday and a happy new year.