I love this. I, also, have had disdain for the whole funeral process. However, when one of my closest friends died in 2020 of COVID - it was a family only kind of affair due to the lockdown. And it hurt not to be able to say good-bye to him in the company of others who also loved him. At that moment, I understood why funerals exist. And like your MIL & you & your wife - I've told my kids that they can do whatever helps them find peace when the time comes for me to move on. Truly a wonderful piece. <3 I'd be totally ok with people showing up in LOTR characters. ;)