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How to Create a Celebration of Life Event

For the most part, the majority of us are familiar with the traditional funeral ceremony. In fact, the chances are good that we have most likely attended at least one traditional funeral in our lifetime. Most traditional funeral ceremonies will follow the same type of setup. It is easy for many funeral homes to personalize the experience. However, there is only so much any funeral director can do and still maintain the traditional funeral ceremony setup, and even with all the personalization a traditional funeral is still a rather solemn experience that mainly focuses on saying goodbye to your loved one.

Many people hold the traditional funeral ceremony in high regard; however, there is a new type of ceremony gaining popularity these days. It is called a celebration of life ceremony, and unlike the traditional funeral ceremony, it is a joyful event that does not focus on the somber passing of your loved one. You celebrate the accomplishments of the deceased and how they positively affected your life. Friends and family are invited to share their stories and happy memories of the deceased. It can be a rather uplifting experience for all involved.

While there are many rules and a strict type of platform for a traditional funeral, this is not so with a celebration of life ceremony. You can take all the rules and throw them out, if you wish. Usually, the deceased will have specified what they may or may not want to be involved with the celebration. If they have not specified, someone close to the deceased will normally have some idea of what they would like to happen. There are really no type of preset requirements. However, here are a few things you may like to consider when you are planning a celebration of life ceremony:

     The guest list. Who would the deceased like to attend, and who do you want to attend? Some celebration of life ceremonies are big, grand affairs, while others tend to be small, intimate gatherings of those closest to the deceased. Your guest list and the size of it can have a huge influence on how you plan the event.

     The location. The location of the event will have to accommodate the guest list. This means you will have to plan the setting appropriately. You could choose some of the deceased favorite places or have the location fit with their personality. There are so many options, such as their home, a favorite restaurant, an often visited campsite or park, anything that may help you connect to the deceased would be a great choice.

     What to include in the event? It may seem a little uncomfortable for some to think about what they should include in their loved one’s celebration of life event. It is a lot different than planning a funeral. You could include videos and pictures of the deceased enjoying their life. You could have friends and family speak about their memories involving them, or you could have one officiant head the ceremony. You could play their favorite music, display their favorite pieces of art or have a reception featuring their favorite foods. The possibilities are endless.

A celebration of life ceremony is usually a happy and joyous event, especially when you compare it to your typical funeral ceremony. This type of ceremony could even help those of us who may be afraid or dreading making those necessary funeral arrangements. If you know someone who has been dragging their feet with approaching any of these end of life decisions, you may want to introduce them to the idea of a celebration of life ceremony and see if they like it.

Who knows? It may create that elusive opportunity you have been so desperately looking for on breaching the subject of what to do after your loved one dies. It could even help some of your loved ones confide in you with what they may or may not like, or they may even go ahead and plan their entire event on their own. It is always worth a try to see if this could be the type of ceremony your loved one could appreciate.

Article by Mobi Medical Supply.

Written By

He is the head of Sales and Customer Relations. Bio, Has been in the DME (Durable Medical Equipment) and Long Term Care Sales industry for over 20 years. Brought his experience and expertise to Mobi Medical in 2014 as VP of Sales and Customer relations.

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