If you have an adult with you at the funeral home, it is ok to touch a dead body, and you will not get in trouble. You are naturally curious, and sometimes when you see and touch a dead body it helps you answer your questions. Remember to be gentle and have an adult help you.
OPEN-CASKET FUNERAL ETIQUETTE
If they have an open casket viewing, make sure you follow proper funeral etiquette: DON'T touch the body under any circumstances. Sometimes the casket has a glass to prevent this from happening.
Yes, you can touch or kiss the dead person at a funeral (we call the viewing a wake in the US).
When and Where Do Viewings Take Place? Viewings can take place at the funeral home or the family home. They take place before the funeral, sometimes the day before and sometimes the same day. The body or a memorial to the deceased will likely be displayed to allow mourners the opportunity to pay their respects.
You can keep the body at home until the funeral if you like. In some situations, a funeral director might recommend they embalm the body if it is going to be at home for longer than a few days.
A hospital is allowed to keep the body of a deceased person in a hospital mortuary for up to 21 days after the date of death (section 80 of the Regulation).
The family will be charged for refrigeration. The body should be embalmed within 48 hours of death if the family plans to have a public viewing of the body. Each state has its own laws regarding the length of time that can pass between death and embalming. You shouldn't wait for more than a week before embalming.
You are not required to actually view the body at a funeral viewing. Many people are a bit uncomfortable with the idea of attending a viewing, but keep in mind that funeral viewing etiquette does not require you to actually look at or spend time with the deceased if you are not comfortable doing so.
Preferably no bare legs. Wear dark stockings or ultra sheer nude hose to show respect. Nothing flashy or bright. If your style is to wear colorful clothes, tone it down for a funeral.
A funeral webcast is where the funeral service is broadcast live over the internet. Families choosing this service are provided with a private log in and password.
If you have an adult with you at the funeral home, it is ok to touch a dead body, and you will not get in trouble. You are naturally curious, and sometimes when you see and touch a dead body it helps you answer your questions. Remember to be gentle and have an adult help you.
After the funeral, the family and close relatives to the deceased are supposed to refrain from entertainment and merry-making. This is a basic rule that should be adhered to during such times and events. A period of 49 days is prescribed for this as a way of showing respect to the departed family member.
DON'T Bring a Date
Unless your partner also knew the deceased, it is generally considered to be in poor taste to bring a date to a funeral. Funerals are not occasions for romance, and unless your date is your long-term partner, it's more respectful to go solo to a funeral.
In most instances, men are pallbearers, so it seems like the norm. However, there is no cultural or religious customs stating that women can't serve as pallbearers. The only reason why they don't do this job is that they may not be strong enough to lift the casket, which can sometimes be quite heavy.
The answer is no; all of the organs remain in the body during the embalming process. Instead, the Embalmer makes small incisions in the abdomen and inserts tubes into the body cavity. These tubes pump a mixture of chemicals and water into the body, which helps to preserve the tissues and prevent decomposition.
If your loved one's organs and tissues are eligible to be donated, a team of specialist surgeons recovers them in an aseptic procedure. To show respect to the donor, incisions are closed and their body is cared for in a way that still allows an open casket funeral.
What do women wear to a funeral? A skirt or dress – these should be knee-length and not flashy or revealing, normally with tights. A pair of smart trousers – jeans and other casual trousers are not appropriate for a funeral. A pair of smart full-length or ankle grazer trousers in a dark colour can be a good option.
Do note that funeral homes are often kept on the cooler side, so if you chill easily, you may want to bring a sweater. Also, it is not necessary to wear black to a visitation. Despite what you might see on TV, any color is fine. However, we do suggest comfortable shoes.
Mortician specifically means the person who handles the body in preparation for a funeral. What is this? Since most funeral homes are small, local operations, the person who embalms and beautifies the body is also often the funeral director.
Flip-flops, tank tops, shorts, sundresses, casual tennis shoes and cleavage are not appropriate. Even though the service may be a celebration of life, many of those attending will be mourning. Your goal is to blend in, not be conspicuous.
"Talking or being on your phone during the service is one of the most disrespectful things you could do at a funeral," says Myka Meier, Beaumont Etiquette founder and etiquette expert. It's important to be as present as possible. "Silence your phone, shut off your phone, or even just leave it behind.
This means no jeans, shorts, or tank tops. Instead, opt for dark, conservative clothing. Women should avoid wearing anything too revealing or flashy, and men should make sure their clothing is clean and wrinkle-free.
A body may be different in death to life because:
a mortician or funeral director has changed a body's appearance through clothing, or hair arrangement, or cosmetics. Such “dressing” of the body may be very different to how the person in life would have done it. the body smells different.
Over time, coffins underground will decompose and eventually collapse. Covering the face before closing the casket adds an extra layer of protection and dignity for the deceased's face and can act as a symbolic final goodbye.
Before the embalming begins, the body is washed in a disinfectant solution. Limbs are massaged to relieve the stiffening of the joints and muscles. Any necessary shaving would also take place at this time. Your loved ones eyes are closed using glue or plastic eye caps that sit on the eye and hold the eyelid in place.