Is It Appropriate To Put The Fun In Funeral?

Most family and friends when planning a funeral are coming from a place of deep, justifiable anguish. Most of us have been there and can empathise with anyone going through such a dark, heavy time. It is heart-wrenching to say the least.

Recently there has been a surge in dying wish requests asking for “celebration of life” type funerals or what some are calling “happy funerals”. In a recent British survey of 2,000 people, Monty Python’s ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’ came out as the most popular song played at UK funerals. Many people ask for their funeral to incorporate their favourite hobby, sports team, colours etc. At my Brother-in-Laws funeral a couple of years ago, in solidarity and as a nod to his personality and preferred attire, we all wore Hawaiian shirts. He was a gregarious, fun-loving German/Samoan/Fijian married to an equally vibrant Indigenous Australia woman and so you can imagine that his network of mourners were a kaleidoscope of cultures. We felt that a bright, prismatic display of shirts was more appropriate than black clothing.

Is there a balance between encouraging a family to emit mentally necessary sadness, while also giving time and opportunity to enjoy positive memories of the dearly departed? Grieving usually diminishes in intensity over time but just as important as allowing a life to be celebrated, is allowing the ones left behind to have their period of mourning. In mourning they are mentally embracing the memory of their loved one.

As we use it now the word funeral is a noun, but if we go back to the middle-ages we can find it also being used as an adjective and even a verb (to mourn). The answer is yes, there is a balance. A funeral is felt differently, described differently and viewed differently by different people. In essence though it is both a moment to tearfully bid farewell to a loved one, (which is an especially important act for those closest to them,) while also remembering and joyously celebrating their life.

Planning a funeral can be a highly emotional and exhausting challenge. Oftentimes a family will look for assistance to help design a personalised, unique send off for their recently departed loved one that will capture and share the spirit of who that person was.

Can you imagine yourself in a role where you get to meet the challenge of designing a farewell around the deceased’s wishes, their personality, their culture and more?

Talk to us now about the track to becoming a qualified and nationally recognised Funeral Celebrant.