When a family begins thinking about final arrangements — whether in the quiet days after a loss or well ahead of time — one of the first questions that arises is simply: What are our options? The answer is more varied, and more personal, than many people expect.

For more than 80 years, Rivera Family Funerals & Cremations has walked alongside families across Northern New Mexico through exactly this conversation. The region is home to deep Catholic roots, Indigenous traditions, Hispanic heritage, and an ever-growing diversity of faith backgrounds and personal beliefs. That richness has taught us that there is no single right answer — only the answer that fits your family, your loved one, and the values you hold.

This guide offers a plain-language overview of the most common burial choices, so you can approach those conversations with a little more clarity and a little less uncertainty.

Traditional Ground Burial

Ground burial — interment in a cemetery — remains one of the most widely chosen options across cultures and faiths. A permanent, marked resting place gives families a dedicated space to visit, grieve, and remember over the years. Many families in Northern New Mexico have plots that span generations, connecting the living to those who came before them in a very tangible way.

Choices within ground burial can include:

• Full-body burial in a casket, with or without a burial vault
• Cremated remains burial , which places an urn or container in the ground — often in a smaller plot or a dedicated cremation section of a cemetery
• Family or community plots , where multiple members of a family are interred together over time

For families whose faith traditions emphasize the physical return of the body to the earth, or who simply value a permanent, visitable location, ground burial often feels most aligned with their wishes.

Mausoleum and Above-Ground Entombment

Some families prefer above-ground interment in a mausoleum — a structure that houses caskets or urns in sealed chambers called crypts. Mausoleums may be community buildings within a cemetery or smaller family structures. They offer a sheltered, protected resting place and, for some families, carry cultural or religious significance.

Cremation

Cremation has become an increasingly common choice, embraced by families from many different backgrounds. It is important to understand that choosing cremation does not mean forgoing a meaningful service — a full funeral or memorial gathering can take place before or after cremation, depending on what feels right for your family.

After cremation, families have a range of options for the cremated remains:

• Burial in a cemetery , in a dedicated plot or cremation garden
• Placement in a columbarium , a structure of small niches designed to hold urns, often located within a cemetery or place of worship
• Keeping the remains at home in an urn or keepsake vessel
• Scattering in a meaningful place, subject to applicable local guidelines

Some families choose a combination — for example, dividing cremated remains so that some are buried while a small keepsake portion stays with family members. A funeral professional can help you think through what feels most meaningful.

Green and Natural Burial

Interest in environmentally oriented burial has grown in recent years. Natural or green burial generally involves interment without embalming chemicals and with biodegradable materials, allowing the body to return to the earth more directly. Families drawn to this option often cite ecological values or a desire for simplicity. Availability varies by region, so it is worth a conversation with a local provider to understand what is accessible near you.

Terramation and Scattering of Remains

Terramation — sometimes called natural organic reduction — is an emerging option in which the body is gently transformed into nutrient-rich soil over a period of weeks through a carefully managed natural process. For families drawn to the idea of a meaningful return to the earth, this can feel like a deeply resonant choice. Once the process is complete, families receive the resulting soil, which may then be scattered or incorporated into a garden, a meaningful piece of land, or another natural setting that held significance for their loved one.

Because terramation is a relatively new option, availability varies considerably by state and region, and it may not yet be accessible in all areas of Northern New Mexico. A knowledgeable funeral professional can help you understand what is currently available where you live and whether this path might be a good fit for your family's wishes.

How Cultural and Faith Traditions Shape the Decision

Across Northern New Mexico, we have had the privilege of honoring an extraordinary range of traditions. Catholic families may observe specific rites around burial of the body. Indigenous families may follow practices tied to their community's teachings. Families without a particular religious affiliation often find that a personally designed ceremony — outdoors, at home, or in a meaningful space — resonates most deeply.

If you are uncertain where to begin, it can help to ask a few guiding questions: Does our family or faith tradition place meaning on the physical resting place? Do we want a permanent location to visit? What did our loved one express, formally or informally, about their wishes?

Taking Your Time

Grief does not follow a schedule, and neither should this decision — to the extent that circumstances allow. Many families find that pre-planning conversations, held calmly and without urgency, are among the most meaningful gifts they can give one another. Others need to make decisions quickly and simply want to feel supported through the process.

Whatever your situation, the team at Rivera Family Funerals & Cremations is here to listen, answer questions, and help you find a path that honors your loved one with the dignity they deserve.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.