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Funeral Etiquette
Sign the register book - the family will
Like everything in society, funeral etiquette keep the register book as a memento for
and what is expected of you has evolved years. Be sure to include your full name
over time. As always, common sense and relationship to the deceased.
and good discretion is the best guide to
proper funeral etiquette. Here are a few Give a gift - you don’t need to go
do’s and don’ts of funeral etiquette. overboard with your gift, after all it is
the thought that counts. Suitable gifts
Do: include; flowers, a donation to the charity
Express your condolences - it’s not easy to of the family’s choice, or you can make a
come up with the words to offer sympathy commitment of service to the family at a
to someone who has just lost a loved one. later date. A commitment of service can
You don’t need to be a poet, simply saying be something as simple as cooking them
something like “I am sorry for your loss, dinner, or offering to clean up their house,
my thoughts and prayers are with you and any of the “little” things that may be
your family” is enough. If you can’t be neglected while a family deals with death.
at a funeral service in person, sending a Make sure you provide a signed card so
card or leaving a message on a memorial the family knows who gave the gift.
website is a perfect way to express your
sympathy. Keep in touch - you may feel that the
family needs their space and time to
Dress appropriately - gone are the days grieve, but a simple phone call or note
of dressing up in all black for a funeral, after the funeral lets the family know
but jeans and a t-shirt isn’t exactly you care. With social networking leaving
acceptable either. You should still dress a quick note is as simple as a click of a
to impress and avoid any bright or flashy mouse. The months following a death is
colors. Wearing what you would wear for when grieving friends and family need the
a wedding or a job interview would be the most support.
most appropriate.
Page 22 - Butler-Hughes Funeral Home, Inc.
