Just think back for a second. How many funerals have you been to where everything looked, sounded, and felt exactly the same? Maybe that sounds a tad harsh, especially if you’re in the middle of grieving, but just try and reflect for just a moment. Did you see the same flowers, same hymns, and maybe even the same slideshow with “Amazing Grace” or some of those other generic funeral songs on loop? Yeah, it can start to feel less like a celebration of a unique life and more like a script that’s been followed a hundred times before.
Every single person is unique; their impact on people's lives was unique too, and shouldn’t their funeral be the same? Thankfully, it’s slowly starting to change. And funerals today are starting to get out of this same mold. They can be colorful, heartfelt, funny, or even downright quirky. But what’s most important is that a can actually reflect the person who’s being remembered instead of blending into every other service people have sat through.
Personality Can Go into the Farewell
Seriously, every person has a story that’s more than a timeline of dates. Maybe it’s the grandpa who lived for fishing trips, or the aunt who was obsessed with Elvis. But just imagine a service where those passions take center stage. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the funeral home needs to be decked out in fishing gear or anything like that, but maybe something a bit smaller and easier, like Elvis playing rather than Amazing Grace, could be playing instead.
But these types of touches hit harder than a generic setup ever could, because they feel real. It’s about giving family and friends a true sense of the person they loved. When people leave a service saying, “That was so them,” that’s when you know it mattered. Wouldn’t you want that type of send-off for the person you love rather than a generic PowerPoint of random pictures?
Funerals are Supposed to be Celebrations
Chances are, you’ve noticed a “celebration of life” event popping up once a loved one has passed away. For some families, they’re skipping the funeral entirely, because it’s pricey (which is entirely understandable). But for those who want to have a funeral, there can still be a celebration of life that isn’t sappy (or cookie-cutter).
Of course, that doesn’t mean skipping the sadness. It means creating space for laughter and joy alongside the tears. Like, think of favorite playlists instead of organ music, or you could think of food that person loved instead of sandwiches no one remembers. Maybe even think of storytelling that feels like a reunion more than a ceremony. It might sound a little wild, but that casual feeling can make it more meaningful, especially if the person you loved wasn’t the serious or rigid type (it would accommodate who they are).
I know in the last few years I have seem more personalized funerals and they are truly beautiful as I see our savior be glorified in that persons life on this side of eternity. I have seen personal testimonies be shared, salvation messages, messages of hope, and so much more.
How are Funeral Homes Making it Happen?
Again, nowadays, more funeral homes are becoming accommodating so that some people don’t want that cookie-cutter send-off (especially if it’s the deceased who planned their funeral in the first place). Nowadays, funeral homes can offer more personal touches and something custom, like what’s offered at https://www.hiltonfuneralsupply.com/, for example.
But it’s the personal touches (both tangible and experience-related) that can make a cookie-cutter service turn into something far more memorable, and align a lot better with the deceased. It’s not about reinventing tradition completely, but about updating it so that families walk away feeling comforted instead of shortchanged. Which is fair, right?
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