4 Interesting Facts About Funerals

Funerals are something that no one likes to talk about. Whether it is pre-planning your own funeral or someone else’s funeral, or just the topic of funerals in general, it is often considered a dark and uncomfortable subject. Since it is hardly talked about, the topic of funerals has become shrouded with misconceptions and mysteries.

There may be a lot of facts about funerals that surprise you. Here, we talk about some of these interesting facts:

• Flowers were meant to bring goodwill in the afterlife

Today, flowers are brought to funerals as a symbol of sympathy, to show the family of the deceased that we are sorry for their loss and we are grieving with them. However, in the olden times, people brought flowers so as to promote goodwill in the afterlife, to the spirit of the deceased.

• Loud music to keep evil spirits at bay

An Irish wake is often associated with loud music being played. This was originally because in the olden days, people believed playing loud music would keep evil spirits at bay. In addition to this, it was an opportunity to confirm whether the deceased was really dead. If not, they believed the loud music would wake them up.

• Nine states require you to hire a funeral director

In all nine of the fifty states in the U.S. you are free to conduct funerals on your own without needing to hire the services of a funeral director. The nine states that require a funeral director include Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana, and Nebraska.

However, even though you may live in a state that doesn’t require your to hire a funeral director, you cannot perform any services yourself that state law requires to be done by a licensed funeral director. Your state board of funeral directors can help with what must be done by a funeral director.  If you are having a simple memorial service, no funeral director should be required.

• A wooden or steel casket isn’t your only option

Since most funerals usually have either a wooden or steel, many tend to think that burying the deceased in such caskets is the only option. However, you can choose less expensive caskets designed for cremation, or even the more expensive stainless steel or copper caskets if you want something that won’t rust over time. Whatever you choose, be sure to stay within a budget with which you are comfortable.

Thanks for reading,

Karen