Of the 117 who had considered their funeral wishes, 36% said they would like their funeral to have a happy atmosphere or feel like a ‘celebration of life’. Some of the preferences included bright colours, an upbeat atmosphere, lively music and one person commented that they wanted there to be ‘laughter, nostalgia and love’.
Funeral directors work with individuals and families to understand their funeral requirements, whether this is at the time of need or in advance via a pre-paid funeral plan, and regardless of whether people want no-frills, traditional or more unusual or personalised arrangements. It starts with the creation of an atmosphere that focuses on the comfort of grieving families such as joyous, sombre or serene.
If planned in advance, a funeral can include the wishes of the person who has passed on and honour their values, beliefs, and traditions. Music can also be important in creating a particular atmosphere and preferred choices ranged from religious options to favourite songs, with one survey respondent specifying ‘rock’ music.
Dress code also has a place in deciding the atmosphere of a funeral. While black is traditional in some cultures, recent trends in funeral service attire have moved towards ‘celebrations of life’ whereby the deceased or bereaved specify in advance that mourners wear bright colours or incorporate a particular colour. In a separate question, respondents were asked what colour they would like their guests to wear. Of the 465 who answered this question, 31% (143) mentioned bright colours versus the 14% (64) who preferred dark colours including black and blue. Eight people mentioned themed attire to reflect their life interests including football shirts, mods or punks, 1930s or Halloween attire. Others preferred a direct cremation with no service or memorial element. The majority, 50% (231), suggested people should wear casual clothing or whatever they chose.
These research results are reflected in the Sun Life Cost of Dying Report 2024, which showed an increase from 44% to 46% of those wanting a ’celebration-of-life type send-off.’
Emma Simpson, Marketing Manager at pre-paid funeral plan provider, Ecclesiastical Planning Services, comments, “Whilst many people we surveyed hadn’t thought that far ahead, many of those who had, wanted their funeral to be a celebration of life and have an overall positive atmosphere. We encourage everyone to plan ahead and have these conversations before it’s too late.”
Source: OnePoll research of 1,000 UK residents aged 50 and above, on behalf of Ecclesiastical Planning Services, October 2023.