The Farewell Guide

11/07/2025

In Northern Australia, the Tiwi people create something called Pukumani poles — beautifully carved and painted wooden sculptures made for funerals.

These poles aren't just art. They're a way to honor the dead and help guide their spirit to the afterlife.

Months after someone is buried, their family and community gather again for a final ceremony. There’s dancing, body paint, storytelling — and the Pukumani poles are raised at the burial site.

Each pole is one of a kind. They reflect the person’s life, family, and spirit. Some stand for years, watching over the land.

It’s one of the most powerful and visually striking ways a culture says goodbye.

04/07/2025

These magical memorials by UK company Resting Reefs are placed in areas where natural sea life is struggling, to bring back biodiversity and prevent coastal erosion! Would you want your loved ones ashes to become a home for sea life? Let us know in the comments! 👇

27/06/2025

Across time and cultures, people prepared for the next life with the things they valued most.
💬 Tell us what would you take with you? Drop it in the comments 👇

20/06/2025

💍 Funeral Fact Friday
Would you wear jewelry made of your loved one’s hair?

In the 1800s, mourning jewelry was more than fashion... it was a grief ritual. Locks of hair were braided into brooches, tucked into lockets, or even turned into rings.

After Queen Victoria lost Prince Albert, she wore his hair in jewelry for the rest of her life, sparking a trend that swept Europe.

Romantic or a little spooky? You decide. 👀

🕯️ | | | | |

📸 Image credits (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0):

Victorian Hair Mourning Jewelry 1 – Thayne Tuason

Victorian Hair Locket – Market Square Jewelers

Mourning Jewelry with Photo & Hair – Sideshow Gallery Chicago

15/06/2025

If you’re not sure what to feel this Father’s Day…
You’re not alone.

Miss him? That’s valid.
Feel numb? Totally okay.
Grateful and heartbroken? Makes complete sense.
No plans, no posts, no words? That’s alright too.

There’s no one way to navigate a day like this—especially if your relationship with your dad (or the idea of fatherhood) is complicated, distant, or touched by loss.

Take it gently.
Do what feels right for you.
We’re thinking of you this weekend, in all your feelings—or none at all.

🕯️ If you’d like to light a candle or share a memory, we’re here for that too.

13/06/2025

Ever seen a coffin hanging off a cliff? 😮
In Sagada, Philippines, some Indigenous communities have been laying their loved ones to rest this way for centuries.

It’s all about bringing them closer to the sky, the ancestors, and the next world. Only the most respected elders are given this kind of send-off, often in coffins they carved themselves.

A pretty breathtaking way to go, if you ask us.

06/06/2025

Did you know Abraham Lincoln’s body was embalmed up to 13 times after he died? 😳

After his assassination in 1865, he went on a 1,700-mile funeral tour with open-casket viewings in 13 cities and yep... they had to keep touching him up along the way.

Embalming was still pretty new back then, but Lincoln’s grand farewell helped make it popular across the U.S. (before that, most people didn’t bother).

Fun fact: early embalming used arsenic or zinc-based fluids… not the most eco-friendly, but definitely long-lasting. 😬

04/06/2025

Ever thought about becoming compost? It’s not as weird as it sounds.

The UK is looking into new, eco-friendly funeral options like human composting and water cremation. We’ve written a post that explains what’s going on, what it could mean for your choices, and how to get involved.

We’re here to make funeral planning clearer, greener, and way less stressful, including showing you the real prices from trusted funeral providers.

🌍 Link in bio.

04/06/2025

🌱 Big changes could be coming to funerals in the UK. The Law Commission is exploring greener, more modern methods like human composting and water cremation. We break it down... what it means, why it matters, and how you can have your say. 💬💚

At The Farewell Guide, we help families compare funeral options and prices, because everyone deserves a send-off that feels right.

🔗 Read more: https://www.thefarewellguide.co.uk/new-funerary-methods

Explore how UK funeral laws may soon change to include eco-friendly options like human composting and water cremation. Learn what it means for funeral planning, and how The Farewell Guide helps families compare costs and make informed choices.

02/06/2025

💸 Funeral costs can vary by thousands — even on the same street.
📰 The Times used our data to show why it’s time to shop around.

With The Farewell Guide, you can:
✅ Compare local prices
✅ See what’s included
✅ Choose with confidence

It’s free. It’s simple. It could save you £££.
👉 https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/money/article/prices-for-a-basic-funeral-can-vary-by-3000-in-the-same-area-why-6ngct05ns