When someone passes away, we often feel emptiness, grief, and sadness, especially on the day of the funeral. But the truth is your loved one would like you to spend that moment to honor their life, that’s why giving them a proper, meaningful funeral is important, both for your loved one who passed away and the people who are grieving. There are so many ways to incorporate small, meaningful details that can personalize a funeral and make it more special for everyone,
1. Attire
Wearing all black to a funeral is commonly known and practiced for a long time, but if everyone shows up at the funeral dressed the same, in black clothes from head to toe, the tone of the funeral itself will only be sad. Instead, Why not opt for something a bit more colorful, or even dress up like the deceased. This way, you can honor them by celebrating their life, instead of wearing all black, use this opportunity to show up wearing something that reminds you of your loved one!
2. Decorations
Usually, almost all funerals are quite the same when it comes to decorations and the overall setting, but you can personalize any place with minor changes. If you want to give your loved one a truly heartfelt and meaningful goodbye, it’s a good idea to decorate the funeral with memorabilia and stuff that they liked. Also, the ceremonial urns play a big part in the overall feel of the funeral, which different modern designs can fit into however you plan on decorating the rest of the surroundings. This is a great way to honor your loved one and give them a memorable goodbye.
3. Flowers
Typically, a service will choose the flowers for the flower arrangements for the funeral – you’ll only have a say in what color or something similar. But a better way to incorporate a meaningful message is to choose the flowers yourself instead! There is a plethora of plants and flowers that hide unique meanings behind their names! This way, you can create an arrangement that’s filled with hidden meanings and messages that may even describe your loved one – it’s certainly a nice touch!
4. Music
Sad music, or even worse, pure silence can be quite uncomfortable, and it won’t help ease this moment any better. Music can be an amazing way to turn the funeral into something that’s more so cherishing the deceased loved one, rather than being devastated for their passing. Also, you can use the music that your loved one liked to listen to and play their favorite songs – this is a great way to reminisce about your time together.
5. Food and Drinks
Loss of appetite during a funeral is normal, but your loved one wouldn’t want you to suffer. There are both unique and comforting foods you can make for the funeral! This can also include favorite foods and drinks of the deceased, especially snacks – this way you can enjoy them together one last time. The same goes for drinks, especially alcohol, this is a great way to honor your loved one!
6. Share Memories
The best way to celebrate someone’s life is to share the loving times and interesting memories you share with them. This can be done in multiple ways and in different forms. One of the best ways is to bring photos or even videos of your loved ones and showcase them during the funeral. You can even bring specific things that truly grasped the life of the deceased, and showcase them in honor of your loved one. This is also a good conversation starter or even something to write a speech about.
7. DIY Gifts
This is optional, but if you want to get everyone involved in making the funeral, why not ask everyone to bring a certain item or make something that reminds them of the deceased person. This can also mean writing a speech together, everyone can write a little bit of the text and let someone else read the whole thing – this way everyone is involved, and everyone gets to honor the life of their loved one in a meaningful yet creative way.
Sometimes the meaning and intention are more important than the actual items. Sure, you can decorate and make the funeral look nice, but it simply won’t be as heartfelt as it would if you were to do something special like bake a cake that your loved one liked, or wear the dress that they always complimented you on. Simple details like these can make a huge difference in making those last few moments more special!