Many people find the act of funeral planning to be more than a little morbid. After all, who wants to think about their untimely demise? Traditionally, we think of funerals as solemn occasions, but it’s more than an occasion where people turn up and cry. Instead, it’s time to flip this on its ear and consider it a celebration! You (and your loved ones) can benefit from thinking about making your funeral a celebratory occasion. Here are a few ideas to create a joyous funeral.
Give Out Favors
We attend weddings and receive wedding favors, so why not do the same for a funeral? You can hand out funeral candles to loved ones and have a ritual candle-lighting ceremony after the initial ceremony. You can also hand out favors more in tune with who you are.
For example, if you are more inclined towards nature, a funeral favor idea could involve passing out flower or tree seeds. You can attach a message encouraging the person to plant it to leave behind trees for our great-great-grandchildren.
Happy Songs
If there is one part of a funeral service that can affect the mood, it’s the funeral song. Instead of traditional hymns or dirges, you may want to choose something more akin to who you are. You may want to choose a sad song because you want people to cry, but of course, there is a balance to be had here by having a happy option that is still spiritual.
There are naturally uplifting gospel classics, but you can also bring a sense of humor to proceedings. There are fantastic comedy songs that you can play that straddle the balance of being funny while not offending anyone.
Releasing Balloons or Butterflies
You may want a traditional funeral but with something a little different. There are many opportunities for you to make it a celebration of your life that helps others think of the funeral as a happy event. We can forget it’s supposed to be a celebration of our lives, so rather than having people mourning, giving everybody a colorful balloon at the beginning of the ceremony is another thing to make the event feel more uplifting.
Some people argue it shouldn’t be an uplifting event, but as it is a celebration and your funeral, you have the final say, even if you’re not there! Many people think about more comically-themed funerals when they are younger, but as they get older, start to consider it as a more solemn event. But rather than letting your relatives plan a somber occasion, this is one of the most important reasons you should plan your funeral.
A Cheerful Dress Code to Create a Joyous Funeral
Many people don’t think of wearing something colorful to a funeral, but this is another reason to plan the event. While the church or place of remembrance may insist on a formal dress code, you can still have people wear something colorful. A cheerful dress code will bring a lot of color to an otherwise black, white, and gray event!
Use It as an Opportunity to Help Others
Your funeral is your last opportunity for requests. While many families ask to collect money for charities as part of a fund, you could take this one step further to reflect the causes you believe in. If you are a pet lover, you can ask people to bring an item for a local pet rescue. Or, if you help out at the homeless shelter every year, ask people to bring canned food. So many people don’t consider the creativity that can go into a funeral. Even if you want it to be formal and somber, your last statement of asking others to help people can be a way to make sure others benefit.
Recap: Create a Joyous Funeral
It is your choice how to plan a celebration of life. Some people don’t like the idea of preparing for their funeral. However, considering what you want can make this a far more joyous occasion than it typically is.
