There are different regulations for what is acceptable for gravestones per district. The possibilities are limited with community graves. With a personal grave though, there are fewer rules, but the regulations differ by district. Each district has a leaflet containing all the regulations on what is an acceptable gravestone. This leaflet can be obtained at the local city offices and is free of charge. Eulogy has a range of examples, for you to look at. Your local stonemason can also give you examples of ideas for shapes, materials and text. Keep in mind that even a simple monument can easily cost a couple of thousand of dollars.
If you want to leave your body to science, you must put this into your will. It is possible to do this via your general practitioner. But first a research institute must agree to accept your body. When this is agreed there will be no funeral service, but Eulogy will then organise a farewell ceremony. If at the time of death the institute does not need your body, then it will be buried or cremated as per your wishes.
When somebody dies, many things need to be taken care of. At this difficult time, some of these tasks will feel inappropriate, and will always be tough. Bank accounts must be dealt with, insurances stopped, and property sold.
A guide that will help with these issues when somebody has passed away will be given to the surviving relatives.
Death still is not an easy subject to talk about in many communities. The result is that too often, surviving relatives do not know what the person would have wanted. That is why Eulogy offers you the possibility of arranging your own funeral. On the days up to and including your funeral everything that will happen will be based on your wishes – your surviving friends and relatives will know exactly what to do.
Freeze-drying is a new alternative to burial and cremation. When somebody dies, their body will be freeze-dried in liquid nitrogen. All that remains is a powder that can be buried in a shallow grave in a casket made of starch. Within six months, the powder and casket will be compost for plants. The procedure takes about ten days and we expect it to be a serious alternative in the future. Currently however, under Dutch law, such a procedure is not allowed. If you are interested, Eulogy can keep you posted on the latest developments.
It is customary in The Netherlands to use a wooden casket for burials or cremations. However, this is not actually necessary. Cloth, for example, is also acceptable provided (for environmental reasons) it is made of all natural materials. Whatever biodegradable material is chosen, there are certain rules that must be followed. In all cases the body must be laid on something that will allow it to carried easily, whether this be open or with some sort of cover.
Eulogy is positive towards this concept: your own funeral, your own way. Live music is almost always permitted and can be good for the atmosphere. There are varieties of possibilities, all of which are very personal. Options include choirs; bands; or DJs. It is even possible to commission someone write a song in name of the deceased. And of course it is also possible to just simply choose your own CDs.
The cost of a funeral based on personal wishes will be different every time. Furthermore, the costs of a burial differ from those associated with a cremation. Most of the time, a cremation will be a little cheaper. As a guide a normal funeral will cost between at € 5.000 to € 12.000.
Eulogy is a funeral service from New Zealand with a completely new philosophy on the subject of our last good-bye. Eulogy's philosophy is that every life should be celebrated. Not just at birth but also at death. Both occasions are an important moment for friends and family.
In a time when everything is standardised, Eulogy wants to make this moment a moment that is unique for you. This is not just important for the survivors, but we believe, for the deceased too. What could be better than a lasting memory that is totally you?
We have not yet decided when Eulogy will officially start working in The Netherlands. When our research of the Dutch market is complete, we will know if it is there is sufficient interest to start a Dutch operation for designing unique funeral concepts.
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