Funerals vs. Celebrations of Life with Cremation or Burial

Funerals and celebrations of life have much in common. Each is a gathering of people who share a common loss.

A funeral is more rooted in tradition, while a celebration of life is more informal.

Both serve to do three things:

1. Help the bereaved family, and their community, publicly acknowledge the death of one of their own

2. Support the grieving family by surrounding them with caring friends, co-workers, and neighbors

3. Honour the memory of the deceased

Those things are achieved in very different ways as follows.

The Funeral

Traditional funerals are composed of three activities, the visitation, the funeral service and the committal service performed at the graveside

The Visitation

Held prior to the funeral, often the night before but sometimes on the same day, the visitation (or viewing) is a time when people come to support the family and, more importantly, pay their respects to the deceased. This often involves stepping up to the casket to view the body; either, in the company of a member of the surviving family, or on your own.

The Funeral Service

Commonly held in the funeral home or at a church, the traditional funeral service is led by an officiant, most commonly a pastor or a non-denominational celebrant. This individual follows a funeral order of service which includes: the singing of hymns, invocations, Bible readings and prayers led by the officiant.

The Committal Service

This takes place at the cemetery, after a slow and respectful automobile procession from the place where the funeral was held. The committal service ends when the casketed remains are lowered into the ground, and final prayers are said.

Celebrations of Life

While a funeral has more to do with the orderly and often spiritually-defined event, a celebration of life is more concerned with telling the story of the deceased. Celebrations of life are just that: a time when people come together to celebrate the unique personality and achievements of the deceased without the more formal and traditional funeral service.

Celebrations of life are a memorial event which blends some of the formal and some of the informal together into a hybrid event. The blend is totally up to those tasked to organize the event. Catering and special occasion permits are available to customize your event to your personal taste. There is more room for creativity in a celebration of life than a funeral.

Celebrations of life are commonly held after the individual's physical remains have been cared for through burial or cremation. There is much more time available to plan the event. This allows you to make optimal decisions about how you would like to celebrate the life of someone you dearly loved.

Receptions

Receptions give your family a special time to celebrate the life of your loved one and share memories with family and friends over a meal or casual gathering. 80% of Canadians are choosing to have receptions as part of their arrangements.

We have Reception Centres with knowledge of options in your community. Our trained hosts will take care of all of your family’s needs so you can visit with your guests.

Our Catering Menus and special occasion permits can provide you with delicious selections to meet your tastes and budget.

Living Funeral/Celebration of Life

A living funeral / Celebration of life is usually done by someone who knows that he or she does not have much time left to live. Whether the reason is that the person is terminally ill or is at an old age, the person knows death is near and could use it as closure. It is used to celebrate the happy times. Money is a big part of living funerals. This is another reason that people have them. Regular funeral prices can be extremely high. Having a living funeral can save some money. Some feel that the living funeral is more meaningful. In the end, it can be around the same price for the living funeral ceremony and when the person does eventually die, the burial or cremation.

Aspects of a living funeral: Most living funerals have the same aspects of a normal funeral, the deceased person aside. A common theme is for the funeral to start off the same way that a normal funeral would; sombre music, a casket, bible readings, etc. From there the tone is usually switched. Different music is played along with an all around happier atmosphere. The goal is for this to be happy, to celebrate a life and to give thanks to everyone attending. During a living funeral, families and friends will share stories and memories of the person who is nearing death. This ceremony is often a very happy event where there can be closure. The soon-to-be-deceased person often speaks about their life and who has affected it. Many people want to be able to

show their appreciation through the living funeral. Friends and family of the person hosting the funeral will say things that they would have said at a normal funeral. Except now their loved one is there to hear it.

Are You Undecided?

We have years of experience listening, brainstorming and advising families how they can best pay tribute to a beloved family member. We are happy to guide you in your choice between a funeral, a celebration of life or a living funeral. We will explore your funeral service options with you in detail, taking all the time you need.