The passing away of a loved one or someone you know can be a very difficult time. Arranging the funeral can also be stressful and expensive for the person accountable for doing this. When attending a funeral, it is important that you respect several elements of etiquette that are generally unwritten but common in most countries and religions. We have pulled a few together to try and assist.
Wear the Correct Attire
The colour black is well associated with funerals and the clothing people wear. This has been traditional for many years and spans across multiple religions and countries. Generally in western cultures you will see men wearing black suits and black tie. If they do not conform to this and wear something more casual like jeans then it would be seen as a sign of disrespect therefore be sure not to get this wrong. In addition to this, some specific religions may have other attire you need to be aware of.
Timing
Generally funerals are held no more than 2 weeks from when the person passed away. Sometimes the details of the funeral are posted in local newspapers or the details are sometimes just passed on via word of mouth from family and friends. It is extremely important that you are not late for a funeral as this would be seen as a big sign of disrespect. We suggest you arrive approximately 15 to 30 minutes before the start time. It is also normal for people to wait outside at a funeral and in some different religions the coffin will arrive, be brought in and the guests will follow behind and take seats.
Funeral companies
It is expensive to arrange a funeral therefore it is important that whoever is arranging the funeral maybe goes online to compare funeral directors and see which option suits them most. There are many different companies with different pricing plans depending on what your request is. It sounds insensitive but there are also reviews for these types on companies online rating their services and value for money.
Give a contribution
It is normal at a funeral that you may pay your respects by giving a contribution, giving a gift or sending flowers. These can be sent to family members or they can sent to the funeral location / company. In addition, if a burial is following the funeral, it is normal practice for them to be flower so please take that into account also.
Quietness
At the funeral it is important for people to have quiet time to reflect and think. It sounds very simple but if you have small children with you then be sure to keep them quiet. In addition, if you have a cell phone remember to either switch this off or place on silent. Last but not least – there should be no talking amongst each other at the funeral. Although people will want to potentially talk about the deceased in a positive way, this would be deemed as disrespectful.
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