Funerals have long been a way for communities and families to come together and mourn the loss of loved ones. Throughout various countries, communities, and religions they have been an important way of taking care of the deceased, as well as taking care of those going through bereavement. These rites and rituals are notably personal and can be very diverse, across time as well as cultures.
A lot of well-known funeral traditions stem from the Victorian era, including the wearing of black clothes when in mourning. Another late Victorian development was the distinction of the ‘Chapel of Rest’, a room found in funeral homes where mourners can visit the body of the deceased. This was an effort to move away from keeping the body at home and to have a location where visitors could go and spend some time with their lost loved one.
Traditional funerals often focus more on religion and cultural rites and are typically held in a place of worship or crematorium. They customarily adopt a more sombre tone with a reflective approach and follow a set of proceedings that are in line with established sermons of a particular religion or faith.
Although traditional funerals are still around today, recent years have seen more and more people opting for a ‘Celebration of Life’. These move away from established proceedings and towards a service that is more personal to the deceased. A ‘Celebration of Life’ will often focus on positively remembering a loved one, including sharing their favourite music, hobbies, and stories.
They have grown in popularity over the years, with a survey of 2000 people in 2015, conducted by ICM, reporting that 54% wanted their funeral to be a celebration of their life instead of a more sombre, traditional funeral. It is believed that this growth in popularity is due to having more freedom to conduct a personal funeral and to celebrate the life of a loved one.
Some funerals can be mixed, with a number of traditional funerals incorporating personal touches such as a favourite song or piece of music. As well as music, a wider variety of flowers and readings may be included in the ceremony, that would not typically have been used in a traditional funeral a few decades ago.
Every funeral is different with many options and variations to choose from and SC & BS Cocks are here to help guide you through the process of arrangements. We know that this can be a difficult time and we are not only here are funeral directors, but we are also here to assist where we can and be a shoulder to lean on.