Friday 22 March 2013

Funeral Etiquette - How To Appropriately Show Your Sympathies

By Blaine Dur


A funeral parlour is definitely not in the list of places that you want to go to. But there'll always come a time when you need to attend a memorial service either for a relative or a friend. Do make an effort to protect the sanctity of the occasion as a way to pay respects to the deceased and the family that was left behind.

When you don't have an idea yet as to what to wear, you can base your decision on the religion, ethnicity, or preferences of the family or speak with a family member about any announcement on the proper dress code. In general, well-wishers are expected to dress modestly and this means staying away from bright-coloured and revealing clothes. It is always safe to don black and muted garments, unless there is a funeral notice that says otherwise.

Introduce yourself and utter your words of condolences to the family the moment you arrive as it should be your intent to let them know that you're one with them in their sorrow and grief. You can take this rare opportunity to rekindle friendships and close family ties, but keep it toned down as a form of respect to the grieving family.

They may not verbalise it, but the family would certainly be more than happy to accept a helping hand from you given their present emotional state. Offer to be of assistance with preparing the food, caring for the children, or entertaining the guests. A monetary donation will also go a long way in helping pay for the funeral expenses.

If for some reason you're not able to attend the wake or the funeral, you can choose to send a funeral basket or bouquet of flowers attached with a special hand-written note to express your deepest sympathies. This should be enough to make the family feel your affection and support even when you cannot physically be with them. You may order via the internet or count on Singapore funeral parlour firms to send the flowers for you. You may have the flowers sent directly to the family's residence or ask the funeral parlour Singapore firm that the family has contracted if they can prepare the flowers for you and then hand it over to the family.




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