Dear Christine,
I am in my mid-40s. Recently I attended a funeral where I was shocked at some of the clothes worn and the lack of respect shown for the deceased, who was in her late 30s, and members of her family.
One of the mourners wore a dress in such a bright colour that it hurt my eyes to look at it. She also wore a ring on each finger. My curiosity was aroused concerning appropriate funeral attire and the lack of respect so I decided to do some research on funeral etiquette and take a look at the dos and don’ts.
Please permit me to share the following points with your readers:
• Don’t be late.
• Show reverence in the church and be quiet.
• Wear dark clothes (unless the family says not to).
• Avoid the use of clothing which is too revealing.
• Wear minimal jewellery.
• Humour is acceptable as long as it’s tasteful and low-key.
• Only family members are allowed to sit in the family section (no exes).
• The time for hugs and acknowledgments is when the family is receiving guests at the funeral home or at the cemetery – not as people pass by the coffin to pay their last respects to the deceased.
• Don’t bring babies or unruly toddlers.
• Don’t get up and leave during the service.
I hope this will answer some questions so we can all start to show more respect to the families and to the deceased.
– Winnie
Dear Winnie,
I’m sure your list of dos and don’ts will be of interest to many people – although everyone may not agree with you on every point. Thanks for sharing.
– CHRISTINE