Alternatives

Celebration of Life

Today there are many people who wish to celebrate a life rather than mourn their loss. The celebration can take many forms and offers hope and understanding. Our funeral directors can review many options that will make the ceremony more inspirational and contemporary. Some of these options may include a garden setting, personalized music and even the release of balloons, butterflies or doves soaring skyward at the conclusion of a ceremony. Celebration is the underlying theme.

Memorial Reception

What is more natural than eating together? Traditional mourning foods have long been a part of funeral rites around the world, and McCall’s has updated this tradition to include modern foods and beverages. Our catering staff will provide you with everything you wish to serve your guests – and we can even arrange it so you can serve the favorite foods of the deceased. Perhaps it was oatmeal cookies, or Hawaiian chicken and brown rice from great grandmother’s recipe.  Whatever menu items you’d like to share with family and friends, our catering staff can accommodate in our modern reception and tribute center or at a different location such as your home or garden.

Environmentally Friendly Funerals (Green Burial)

Royal Oak Burial Park, located in Saanich have set aside one eighth of a hectare for green burial, a practice increasingly popular in Europe and some U.S. cemeteries. Embalming of the deceased is not allowed and biodegradable shrouds and caskets made of pine or bamboo are used. Green burial is not only considered an alternative to traditional burials but to cremations, because of concerns about emissions and their effect on climate change. As of December 2008 there are 255 burial sites available in the Woodlands section of the cemetery. By planting native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers over the graves the site will eventually return to it’s natural state. No grave markers are allowed. Contact McCall’s or Sequoia Gardens Memorial for further information.