Advice, guides & articles

Ah, Christmas. It’s a funny old time of mixed emotions isn’t it? It’s a time of celebration of course but there’s always a feeling of previous Christmases' that fill you with a tearful nostalgia of memories, moments and people. Different people have different ways of acknowledging and dealing with those emotions. In today’s blog I’ll talk about some of my own experiences and explore other ways people choose to honour their memories of Christmas past.

Many people’s main focus in December is on Christmas, but there are several other important holidays at this time of year, each with different traditions.

Towards the end of October we brought you the first part of our blog, talking to Funeral Director Gary Hetherington from Jayne Prior Funeral Directors in the North East of England. If you missed it, you can read that blog here. In today's blog we continue our conversation, in the hope it sheds some light on a profession little of us know a great deal about. We begin by talking about death and grief, something we are both committed to ending the taboo and stigma around and encourage open conversations. Gary goes on to talk about funeral services, providing some really helpful questions he wishes people to ask prior to instructing a Funeral Director.

World AIDS Day happens on 1st December every year. December 3rd sees us mark International Day of People with Disabilities. We like to raise awareness of as many of these types of days as we can, so our blog today will tell you a little about each of these important awareness days, as well as a quick look at other awareness campaigns this December.

Deciding which charity to shine a spotlight on each month is never a hard choice, I usually start by heading to our ‘Most Read This Month’ section and have a browse through the notices to see who people have chosen to have collections for. This month the notice for Denah Moody of Crowle, near Scunthorpe, grabbed my attention, simply because ‘Guts UK’ is a charity I had never heard of until now! Who are they? What do they do? Let’s find out the answers together.

Every now and then you hear from someone you’ve not spoken to in a while and their story makes you really stop and think. That’s what happened recently to Funeral Notices Director Darren Minns. Recently, Darren re-connected with a friend and former supplier to the funeral industry, Mark Edmondson. Mark has launched a new business to help people live positively, despite challenges. Interested in his story and change of career, Darren asked Mark to talk about his new vocation to help others, Positive Vibes Only. Positive Vibes Only - When your world comes crashing down, we give you hope for the future.

The majority of people in the UK are cremated rather than buried and while some families decide to either keep the ashes at home or scatter them somewhere, others want to inter them to provide a final resting place, a place they can occasionally revisit. If you are looking for somewhere to be interred that connects with the past and with nature, then consider Holly Barrow at The Lost Village of Dode in Kent. It is a recreation of a neolithic long barrow, created within our earth, with stone-lined chambers where there are niches to inter their ashes. Eventually, around 400 urns will be contained there. Keeper Doug Chapman said: "At a time of loss, it is the most natural thing in the world to want to connect to the past and consider our true place in the world. Here, this is truly possible. "In this beautiful valley, overlooked by the centuries, Dode provides an unequalled place to celebrate the life of a loved one. Its complete sense of calm, respect and dignity will allow you to say farewell in peace and harmony.”

Many people consider supporting charities to be one of the most important jobs of the Royal Family in a modern day United Kingdom. Having a member of the Royal Family as a patron of your charity means that people are more likely to hear about them, and in some cases more likely to donate just because of the Royal association.

Having a morning routine can make a huge difference to your mental health. It can help kickstart your day, ensuring you are as productive as possible and preparing you for the day ahead. It can also be a chance to have a little me-time before the day begins.

In this coastal walk you’ll discover the wild coast of South Cornwall, the beautiful Kynance Cove and the unique Lizard Point, the southernmost point in Great Britain. You’ll be able to enjoy splendid views of the stunning coves and rugged cliffs of the Lizard Peninsula. With some luck, you may even spot the coastal wildlife, from seals to seabirds and even dolphins.