Putting the Fun in Funeral?

As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

Whatever manner you choose to handle your tax bill, eventually, you will face death. We know this to be true, since we deal with death and dying each day as funeral home directors. But since death is inevitable, why do we, as a culture, keep it hidden in the shadows, discussing memorial services and burial choices only when we are absolutely forced to do so when someone you love dies? After all, 2018 is nearly here. It’s the 21^st Century. Isn’t it time for a different, more enlightened approach?

We think so. After all, you can’t spell “funeral” without “fun.” We don’t mean to be flippant. And we aren’t suggesting that death is not a serious business. We understand how much it hurts when a close family member or friend dies. But while you’re alive, you can turn the tables on death by pre-planning your funeral. Doing so will encourage the ones you love to move on with their lives by celebrating the relationship you had with them before you passed rather than sadly and somberly going through the motions. If you’re game, there are lots of great ways to do this.

Here are just a few:

1. In living color

While planning a fun funeral is a little out of the box, you won’t be too “out there” if start out with wardrobe specifications. In your pre-plan, you can request mourners to dress in festive colors instead of the “go-to” black. Bright colors encourage celebration over depression. And if it helps the ones you leave behind, why should you care? You won’t be there anyway.

2. Let them eat cake

While receptions with food follow most memorial services, few memorial services incorporate snacks. But you can break the mold! While pre-planning, you could specify the food you would like to provide and send a humorous message from beyond the grave, spelled out in royal icing. In fact, one person capitalized on the idea by hiring a baker to create a life-size version of him in a coffin, entirely out of cake!

3. Stream it

In your pre-plan, you could leave usernames and passwords for your social media accounts, with instructions for the service and reception to be live-tweeted or turned into an Instagram Story. More than just a way to make light of the absurdity of doing so, this can serve as a great way to include mourners who were unable to make it to the event.

About Foothill Funeral & Cremation

Would you prefer a traditional service or would you like to use your memorial to laugh with the ones you leave behind? Either way, give us a call (626) 335-0615 or drop by our Glendora showroom. In Covina, our relationship with Sacred Heart Chapel is the perfect place for mourners to host funerals and memorial services in a grandiose yet intimate setting. We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.