It’s never easy saying a final goodbye to someone we dearly love but did you know that a funeral can aid the healing process? People gather to mourn the loss of a loved one together, but that’s not to say that a funeral can’t be turned into a joyous occasion.
There’s plenty of advice online when it comes to planning a funeral. Plus, in addition to that, rather than making the situation any harder than it needs to be, here are a few ways that you can turn a funeral into a celebration of life.
Change up the dress code
Traditionally, we’re so used to seeing people wearing black to a funeral. Black is the colour of mourning, but these days it’s becoming increasingly more common to go against tradition and change things up.
Maybe your loved one had a favourite sports team or colour, which you’d like guests to wear? Or perhaps you just want to keep in theme with the day being a celebration, meaning bright colours and outfits that make people happy are a must.
Donate to a special cause
People will often buy flowers for the family at a funeral, but this doesn’t have to be the case. If your loved one had a cause that was close to their hearts, then why not ask people to make a donation towards that instead?
Similarly, if they’d been unwell towards the end of their life, it can be seen as a nice gesture to ask guests to give a donation to a particular research or care charity.
Have a memory corner
A celebration of life is all about reminiscing and sharing fond memories with one another. Give people plenty to talk about and look back on by setting up a memory corner at the wake.
Whether it’s a photo collage, a selection of letters or certain items that held special meaning to the person gone before you, it’s a great way to put a smile on people’s faces and help them to reflect and remember the good times. Have a memory book for people to write in too, so you’ve got something to look back on later.
Play music
Music can play such a huge part in anyone’s life and, equally, it can play a huge part in celebrating it too. Be sure to play your loved one’s favourite songs at their funeral, be it during the service itself or at the celebration afterwards.
No matter how unsuitable you might think the music taste is for a funeral, they’d be happy to know that their favourite artist or song is being played for their final send-off.
Eat and drink together
At a funeral, it’s important that everyone feels comfortable and relaxed, so make sure there are drinks on hand and a few nibbles to keep everyone going. Food and drink is one of the best ways to get conversations starting and make everyone feel at ease. Before you know it, people will be laughing and smiling, retelling stories that mean the most to them about your loved one.
Don’t be afraid to have fun
Sometimes it can be hard not to feel an element of guilt when you find that you’re enjoying yourself at a funeral; it’s an incredibly sad time, after all.
But just think, what would your loved one want? They wouldn’t want people to be feeling sad and serious, they’d want you to be happy. So, help yourself along with the healing process and turn the funeral into an unforgettable way to celebrate someone just as unforgettable.
A funeral doesn’t have to be a sombre occasion. Instead, turn it into a fitting tribute and give your loved one a send-off to remember.
