Tuesday, December 22, 2009

How To Plan For A Funeral Service

By Carlo Silva

One of the truths of our being is death. Each one of use has to face it and is yet not ready for it. Honouring the dead is a centuries old practice that has gradually changed to fit the times. Traditionally, the funeral service used to take place at the church with singing of solemn hymns and a speech. But, as a larger number of people are looking forward to personalized funeral services, the trend has witnessed a change over the last few decades.

Planning a funeral service, right after the death of a near and dear one can be quite a traumatic and painful experience. One of the myths surrounding funeral services is that it is compulsory under law for the family of the deceased to arrange a service, but this is incorrect. Secondly, a lot of people have a wrong belief that a service can be held only in a church. It is noteworthy that though conventionally such services were held in a church, with the trend of personalizing, a lot of funeral services are being held within the premises of the departed. Thirdly, such services do not need the presence of either the clergy or the casket and can be easily held without either.

With the increase in demand for personal funeral services, it is crucial to take the deceased into consideration while planning for it. The music to be played at the service must be soft as well as from the favourites of the departed. You have the option of playing recorded music or hiring a live music band.

Personal items can be exhibited in the form of a collage, thereby showing everyone the true nature of the deceased. Address is very crucial in all funeral services inclusive of the personal ones. It could be a recital, a song or a personal speech that reflects upon the dead person.

Finally, it is important to give some memento to people who attend the funeral service, so that they can remember the deceased forever.

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