Happy funerals: A celebration of life?
Posted: 16 Jun 2015, 08:48What do you think,?
Do you prefer a celebration of life or a sombre service, wearing black?
The British funeral has been transformed. Increasingly, the ceremony pays tribute to the deceased's life instead of mourning their death. Why?
It may be the only thing that's inevitable in life. But death is changing. Now it's a time to be joyful.
Instead of looking ahead to the afterlife, British funerals increasingly rejoice in memories of the deceased's triumphs, relationships and their favourite songs. There's a phrase for ceremonies like this - "a celebration of life".
The tone is happy rather than mournful, celebratory instead of sombre. Wearing black is commonly discouraged. You're more likely to hear Monty Python's Always Look On The Bright Side of Life - according to a 2014 survey, the most popular song played at UK funerals - than Verdi's Requiem.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31940529
Do you prefer a celebration of life or a sombre service, wearing black?
The British funeral has been transformed. Increasingly, the ceremony pays tribute to the deceased's life instead of mourning their death. Why?
It may be the only thing that's inevitable in life. But death is changing. Now it's a time to be joyful.
Instead of looking ahead to the afterlife, British funerals increasingly rejoice in memories of the deceased's triumphs, relationships and their favourite songs. There's a phrase for ceremonies like this - "a celebration of life".
The tone is happy rather than mournful, celebratory instead of sombre. Wearing black is commonly discouraged. You're more likely to hear Monty Python's Always Look On The Bright Side of Life - according to a 2014 survey, the most popular song played at UK funerals - than Verdi's Requiem.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31940529