4 Tips For Proper Etiquette When Attending A Funeral
A funeral can be difficult to attend for many reasons, but many people want to show dignity and respect towards the deceased and their friends and family. This can make you wonder what the proper etiquette is for attending a funeral so that you show the utmost respect at the service.
Write A Handwritten Letter With Your Condolences
One of the first things you should do should happen before you even attend the funeral. Consider writing a handwritten letter with your condolences to those that were especially close to them. This is not the same as writing a message in a digital guestbook for the funeral service or sending them a message on social media. Those messages will eventually be forgotten about or even unintentionally ignored. A handwritten letter will show that you care about the deceased and their family, and mean a lot more to them since you took the time to write it out by hand. You can put this in the mail or give it to a family member at the funeral service.
Consider Bringing Flowers Or Making A Donation In Their Name
It is common for people to bring flowers to a funeral service to show their respect towards the deceased. However, bringing flowers is not the only option that you have. Instead, consider making a donation in the name of the deceased to a charity that they had a connection to. Some families even name specific charities that people can donate to if there was already an ongoing relationship with them. Many people view this as a nice alternative to flowers, especially for a larger funeral where there are likely to be many people that bring flowers.
Dress Appropriately For The Funeral Service
You'll want to dress in formal attire for a funeral service when paying your respects. This generally means blending in rather than standing out, so pick colors that are dark and muted rather than bold and bright. When in doubt, consider dressing how you would to go to a wedding where the dress code is to wear darker colors. Things like jeans, golf shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes are definitely not appropriate for a funeral.
Silence Your Cell Phone
You'll want to be respectful to others by silencing your cell phone during the funeral service. Try to avoid even using your cell phone unless it is absolutely necessary since the reasons for being at the funeral service are to be there to show your support for others, to celebrate the life of the deceased, and to pay your last respects. To learn more, contact a company like Union Funeral Home-Lytwyn & Lytwyn.