02/12/2025
A worrying trend is becoming increasingly common across the North Island: direct cremations taking place with no recognition of the person’s passing, let alone any form of service to honour and remember their life.
As costs rise, financial pressures are genuinely influencing how people perceive funerals—and whether they feel they should have one at all. For many, cost has become the major deciding factor.
But a funeral doesn’t have to be expensive. The whistles and bells can be set aside. A farewell can be as simple as a small gathering at the graveside or at home. Even something modest can provide the sense of closure that people need. There is nothing wrong with choosing a direct cremation followed by a gathering wherever feels right. An ash urn, a few photos, and some flowers are more than enough—as long as you are together, sharing memories and saying your final farewells.
