Cremation is the fastest-growing disposition choice in the United States, and it is reshaping how funeral homes engage with families. The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) projects that by 2030, the cremation rate will reach 69.1% in the United States and 81.1% in Canada. That number does not signal the end of the funeral professional’s role — it signals the beginning of a different kind of relationship with the families you serve.

Why Do Direct Cremation Families Still Need a Funeral Professional?

It can be difficult for funeral directors to convince families who think they know best. Many families want simplicity, affordability, and control. What they do not anticipate is the gap between choosing cremation and actually creating a meaningful memorial experience. 

Weeks after a direct cremation, many of these families find themselves planning a celebration of life at a park, a restaurant, or a family home. 

When you’re unable to convince families of your value in the arrangement room, you still have an opportunity to serve them — and a product designed specifically for that moment. The funeral professional who anticipated what the family would need, and offered a solution before they walked out the door, is the one they remember.

What is the "Their Way" Celebration Kit?

The “Their Way” Celebration Kit is a do-it-yourself memorial stationery package developed by Hilton Funeral Supply for funeral homes serving direct cremation families. It includes one memorial guest book, 150 customizable memorial programs, 50 thank you cards with envelopes, and a USB flash drive loaded with Microsoft Word templates and step-by-step instructions.

Families open the templates, add their own photos and service details, and print the finished programs at home or through any local print shop. No graphic design experience is required. The result is a coordinated, professional-looking memorial package that reflects the individual being honored — without requiring the family to start from scratch. 

Hilton Funeral Supply developed this kit in direct response to a pattern funeral-professionals across the country are experiencing: families choosing direct cremation, declining traditional merchandise, and then purchasing inferior memorial products from general retailers in the days before a celebration of life. This kit was built to reconnect funeral homes with families.

“Many families today choose to celebrate their loved one’s life in their own unique way, often at a later date. The “Their Way” Memorial Stationery DIY Box Kit gives families the flexibility to create meaningful memorial stationery on their own timeline while still providing a professional and personalized tribute. By offering this kit, funeral homes can continue generating revenue while meeting the growing demand for flexible, family-centered memorial options.”
— Jason Weir, Licensed Funeral Director & Vice President

How Does the Kit Create Revenue for Your Funeral Home?

Direct cremation arrangements generate less revenue per call than traditional full-service arrangements. The “Their Way” Celebration Kit is a single, natural add-on with a clear value proposition for the family and a clear revenue benefit for the funeral home. It requires no additional staff time, no design work—just a single, ready-to-offer solution.

When a family uses the kit to create their celebration of life materials, they interact with your funeral home’s recommendation every time they open that USB drive, print a program, or hand a thank you card to a neighbor. That association is the foundation of the word-of-mouth referral that no advertising budget can replicate.

How Funeral Directors Can Stay Connected When Families Think They Can Do It Alone

Families who leave an arrangement conference without a memorial stationery solution do not stop needing one. They find it somewhere else — typically a large e-commerce platform with no understanding of grief, no professional guidance, and no relationship with the family. Offering the “Their Way” Celebration Kit keeps that purchase within your relationship and positions your funeral home as the resource that thought ahead.

How to Introduce a DIY Celebration of Life Kit in an Arrangement Conference

The most natural moment to introduce the kit is when a family mentions they plan to hold a memorial gathering later. That opens a practical conversation about what the gathering will look like and what materials would help the family feel prepared. The kit enters that conversation as a solution.

Funeral directors who frame it around the family’s autonomy tend to have the most success: “We have something that lets you create the memorial exactly the way you want it — at home, on your schedule, with your own photos and words.” That framing aligns directly with what direct cremation families value most. Some families will still decline. A professional, low-pressure introduction leaves the door open for them to return in the weeks between cremation and the celebration of life — and many do.

What Do Cremation Trends Mean for Funeral Home Merchandise?

As shifting cultural attitudes, cost considerations, and geographic mobility push cremation rates to historic highs, traditional funeral merchandise models are evolving. While the landscape is changing, the fundamental human need for meaningful ritual remains constant. 

Modern families are increasingly opting for highly personalized celebrations of life, driving demand for customizable memorial products that do not require specialized design expertise. The "Their Way" Celebration Kit was engineered specifically for this cultural shift—allowing funeral homes to seamlessly adapt their inventory while meeting the exact preferences of today’s cremation families.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the “Their Way” Celebration Kit?

1 memorial guest book

150 customizable memorial programs

50 thank you cards with envelopes

1 USB flash drive with Microsoft Word templates and step-by-step instructions.

Do families need design experience to use the kit?

No. The Word templates are designed for families with no graphic design background. Families add their own photos and service details, then print the finished programs wherever is most convenient.

How does the kit help funeral homes generate additional revenue?

It provides a natural, low-pressure add-on for direct cremation arrangements, keeping memorial stationery purchases within the funeral home’s ecosystem rather than sending families to online retailers. It also reinforces the funeral home as a trusted aftercare resource, which supports long-term relationship and referral value.

Order the “Their Way” Celebration Kit from Hilton Funeral Supply

Hilton Funeral Supply has served funeral homes and cremation providers across the United States with professional memorial products, funeral stationery, and personalized tribute solutions for decades. The “Their Way” Celebration Kit reflects our commitment to developing merchandise that meets modern families where they are — and keeps funeral professionals meaningfully involved in the memorial experience.

Contact Hilton Funeral Supply or visit the “Their Way” Celebration Kit product page to learn more, request a sample, or place an order.

Written by Hilton Funeral Supply Editorial Team | Funeral Stationery, Service Items, Prep Room Supplies & Equipment, Promotional Products, and Urns & Keepsakes for Funeral Professionals.