Millennials – a generation of individuals that place a high priority on being connected and having a sense of community. Compared to the previous generations, they are more ambitious and tech-savvy. As a result, millennials go about approaching things in a different manner. Nowadays, they are less likely to be concerned with traditions and customs. This also includes having religious affiliations, with surveys showing that most millennials proclaim to having no religion and being freethinkers.

However, millennials tend to be more ‘death positive’. They are not afraid to speak openly about topics that society considers taboo and sensitive, such as death and funerals. This also means that many millennials have a desire to be creative with funeral arrangements and to be flexible, without adhering to tradition. Having been inspired by celebrity and mainstream pop culture, it is not shocking to hear some millennials of today talk about their wish to have their ashes turned into a diamond, or other sentimental objects. There is also a community of millennials that believe in pursuing eco-friendly ideas. For example, they are willing to let their ashes be used to generate power and electricity.

Millennials also have a preference for ways that will enable them to be active in the process of a funeral. One common way of mourning and grieving over the recently departed one among millennials is to offer personalised tokens of offerings that reflect the deceased’s relationship with the mourner(s). In addition, millennials might also adapt funeral processes and practices, basing them off the ethics, lifestyle, or ethnic tradition of the departed person. Not shying away from the topic of death and funerals, most millennials also seek out efficiency and stress-free methods. Given that most millennials do not fully know the details that go into preparing for a funeral, they are more than willing to let a funeral home oversee and coordinate the logistics and administrative processes.

Perhaps you are a millennial currently contemplating how you would want your friends and family to carry out your funeral after you have passed on.