What is a Celebration of Life Ceremony?
A Celebration of Life Ceremony is where people come together after a loved one has passed away to remember them. It is an event where people reminisce and tell stories and share memories they have of the person. The celebration of life ceremony focuses on the person, their life, the connections they made along the way, the memories and experiences that people have with them, and much more.
A celebration of life ceremony not only honours the dead but also allows the people affected by their departure to mourn and cope properly. It builds a sense of community, allowing people to come together and heal.
The setting of a celebration of life ceremony varies. The arrangement of the ceremony usually depends on what the deceased used to like. Family and friends set it in a space that is dear to the deceased. It is a day filled with music, activities and food where people feel more light-hearted. The celebration of life ceremony is a way to say your last goodbye in an atmosphere where you feel closest in spirit to the deceased.
What is a Funeral?
Everyone has attended a funeral at least once. It is a formal way to bid goodbye to the deceased. Based on your culture and religion, funeral practices may differ completely. A traditional funeral service involves a lot of steps, including a reading of prayer and scripture, giving formal and informal eulogies, viewing the deceased (this may vary as many cultures practice cremation) and more. Families plan a funeral soon after the death of the individual, as funerals have certain time specifications that people need to follow.
Families usually organize funerals at funeral homes or a place of worship. Because of the brief span between the death and the funeral, these sombre events are where people still process their grief and loss. Funeral attendees also have to follow certain etiquette and dress code per religious and social norms.
Difference between a Celebration of Life Ceremony and a Funeral:
Celebration of life ceremony and funeral service are both ways to bid adieu to the departed soul. What is the difference? There are a few stark differences that set apart these two events.
First is the ‘tone’ of the event:
A celebration of life ceremony is much more casual and light-hearted. The family and the loved one set the event in a way where people feel comfortable talking about the deceased.
Funeral services are quite different in that regard. The tone is serious and sombre. Family and friends of the deceased are still either in pain over their passing or are in mourning. Funerals can also be religious depending on the individual, so an added element of rigidity is also present.
The ‘timing’ of the event also is a huge contrast.
Celebration of life ceremonies have no fixed rule, time, or place. People can organize this event at any time, even long after the person has passed away. Funerals need to happen within a certain period. Depending on the culture and religion of the person, a funeral takes place soon after the death of the individual.
‘Who’ can organize and partake in the event?
Friends, family, or even the community that the deceased belonged to can host and organize a celebration of life ceremony. A person throughout their lives becomes part of various communities. An event like this allows people to share stories and memories about the deceased and cherish the life that they shared with them.
Funerals can be limited to friends, family, and loved ones. Everyone processes grief differently after losing a person they love. During a funeral, people are still mourning the loss. Funerals can also be very hectic, as it can include multiple procedures like rituals or even financial like paying the funeral home.
The main goal for both celebration of life ceremony and a funeral is to honour the deceased. It is a way to bring friends and family together to heal the loss of a loved one.
