Category: funeral home

When choosing flowers to send to Monticello, FL funeral homes, many people are not aware that certain varieties of flowers have deeply-embedding meaning when used for funerals. While many people are requesting charitable donations in the place of flowers as a way to contribute to their funerals, flowers are never going to go away completely as part of funerals.

Traditionally, the immediate family buys the casket spray. There is not any certain flower or color that must be in this spray. It’s a highly personal choice and often reflects their loved one’s favorite flower and color. Other family members buy standup sprays for the funeral. These are often personalized to the deceased’s tastes as well, although not always.

All other flowers are sent to the funeral home by friends, colleagues, and other associates. These are the flowers that typically fall within the tradition and symbolism that is connected to funerals.

White lilies are a traditional funeral flower. They symbolize sweetness, restored innocence, and purity.

Roses are also traditional funeral flowers. However, each color has a different associated meaning. Roses, in the big scheme of things, are love flowers. They indicate a close relationship that includes care and affection.

Red roses, of course, symbolize love, and red roses at a funeral symbolize the love you will always have for the person who died and the continuing love you have for the grieving family. Half a dozen red roses represent wives, mothers, or grandmothers.

White roses symbolize purity. White roses at a funeral are a reminder of the deceased’s purity of heart and soul. Nine of these declare love for the deceased.

Pink roses symbolize respect, admiration, and appreciation. They can also represent gracefulness. Pink roses at a funeral show that the deceased was admired, respected, and had honorable character.

Black roses symbolize death, sorrow, sadness, and mourning. Since black is the default color in the West for death and everything related to it, it is no surprise that black roses would be part of the traditional flower array found at funerals.

Yellow roses symbolize strong, abiding bonds, and are traditionally given by the deceased’s close friends to acknowledge the unbreakable ties between the deceased and them.

Rosemary is another traditional funeral flower. It can be included in a bouquet or given as a plant to grow in memory of the deceased. Rosemary symbolize remembrance.

Pink carnations have long been part of the funeral flowers tradition. They symbolize that the deceased will never be forgotten and their memory will live on after them.

Heliotrope is sweetly-fragrant violet flower that tells both the deceased and the deceased’s family that they are loved. They can be given in a bouquet or as a plant.

Leaves from Aspen trees, while not technically flowers, are traditionally used in flower bouquets because they symbolize sadness and sorrow when used in funeral flower arrangements.

Orchids are also popular funeral flowers. They symbolize grace, strength, beauty, purity, and everlasting love.

Ivy, like Aspen trees, is not a flower, but a climbing plant. However, ivy is traditionally used in both funeral floral arrangements and at gravesites. Ivy symbolizes friendship, commitment, loyalty, and faithfulness.

If you want to learn more about funeral flowers at Monticello, FL funeral homes, our compassionate and experienced staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations can help. You can come by our funeral home at 20 S. Duval St., Quincy, FL 32351, or you can contact us today at (850) 627-1111.

At Crawfordville, FL funeral homes, music is an important part of funeral services. Not only does the type of music set the tone for the service, but the selections played can bring happiness, hope, and comfort.

There are no boundaries around music, as there are around other parts of traditional funeral services, because music is the stuff of the heart and the soul and whatever we chose to play reflects who are we are and what we love and/or believe.

Gospel music is often chosen for funeral services because it offers both hope and comfort. There are many wonderful gospel songs to choose from, but here are some that are very popular to use for funeral services.

One is “I Was Standing by the Bedside of a Neighbor,” performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock. Originally written by Thomas A. Dorsey and performed by the Famous Blue Jay Singers of Birmingham in 1932, this gospel song reflects an old Southern tradition of communities gathering around to attend to their dying and a deep desire for the dying to remember them to the Savior when they see Him. It’s a wonderful uptempo song about hope and faith.

Another gospel song that is often played in the funeral marches in New Orleans jazz funerals is Louis Armstrong’s “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Recorded in 1938, this gospel classic quickly became a jazz classic as well. It expresses the joy of the saints getting their reward and the hope that the narrator is among them.

“Can the Circle be Unbroken?” has been covered by many recording artists, but there’s a singular poignancy about the original version written and recorded by The Carter Family (1935). It’s a particularly appropriate gospel song for adult children whose parents have just passed away, because it provides comfort that the family will be reunited someday.

Another popular gospel song that is played at funerals is “Amazing Grace.” There are a lot of great recorded versions, but the most powerful and moving rendition of this gospel song is when it’s played on the bagpipes (live or recorded).

“I’ll Fly Away” is a gospel song that was first recorded in 1932. For a contemporary Christian sound, the Jars of Clay version is exceptional. For a country sound, the version done by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch for the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack is an excellent choice.

A classic gospel song that is quite popular at funeral’s is Mahaiia Jackson’s “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” It’s a song of acceptance of death, faith in God, and hope for what comes next.

“Oh Happy Day” is a gospel rendition of an hymn written in the 1700’s and is a popular choice for funeral services. The best-known version was record by the Edwin Hawkins Singers in 1969 (it became a global hit and its highest position on the Billboard 100 was number 4).

MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine” rounds out the list of most popular gospel songs for funerals. It speaks to the hope of what can only be imagined in this life but will be a reality when this life ends and the new life we’re promised begins.

If you would like more suggestions for funeral music at Crawfordville, FL funeral homes, our compassionate and experienced staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations can help. You can come by our funeral home at 20 S. Duval St., Quincy, FL 32351, or you can contact us today at (850) 627-1111.

When attending funerals at Bristol, FL funeral homes, it’s important to know what is appropriate to wear and what is not appropriate to wear. Funerals are more somber and follow funeral traditions and customs than celebrations of life or, sometimes, memorial services. There are certain guidelines for dressing for a funeral service that should be adhered to, unless otherwise specified.

In the last couple of decades, as many churches and workplaces have gradually relaxed their standards of dress from “all dressed up” to “come as you are,” that way of dressing has spilled over into funeral homes where mourners gather to honor and remember their dead. However, for many people, casual dressing for funerals can be seen as offensive and disrespectful to both the deceased and their family.

The first rule of dressing for a funeral is to dress in a neat, clean, and low-key manner. Flashing a lot of bling or wearing a dress that is form-fitting with a plunging neckline and very short hemline will draw the attention away from the deceased and their family to someone else, and that’s very bad form.

Black is traditionally the color worn to funerals. Loud, brightly-colored clothes can not only seem flippant toward the somberness of the occasion, but it also draws attention to someone other than the deceased and their family. Navy and dark gray are also appropriate colors to wear to a funeral service.

For woman, a tailored pantsuit or plain dress (with sleeves or with a sweater, jacket, or shawl covering exposed arms) is an excellent choice of funeral attire. A wedding ring and a small watch are okay as far as jewelry goes, but avoid wearing any other jewelry that would draw attention to you. High heels are not appropriate nor are sandals or flip-flops, so pick simple dress flat shoes. Choose a small clutch if you decide to bring a purse, and leave the big “I’ve got everything but the kitchen sink in here” purse and/or bag at home.

For men, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, baseball caps, and tennis shoes are not appropriate funeral attire (unless specified by the deceased or the deceased’s family). Instead, choose a black, gray, or navy suit, a white dress shirt, and a simple tie (this is not the time to wear the Mickey Mouse or the wildly-colorful paisley ties), with matching dress shoes. Hats of any kind should not be worn inside the funeral home or during the service, so if you wear a hat or cap, remove it before walking inside the funeral home.

Appropriate funeral attire for men can also include a sports coat, an open-collared white dress shirt, and dress slacks with dress shoes.

For children old enough to attend a funeral, attire should be dress clothes. Avoid frilly or tight-fitting dresses for girls, as well as high-heeled or open-toed shoes. Boys should wear at least an open-collared dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes. Children need to learn and practice the traditions of respect and honor that are embedded in funeral rituals, and it’s never too early to begin that process.

Although perfumes and colognes are not technically attire, people often add them when they dress more formally. Many people now have chemical sensitivities – which can trigger coughing, sneezing, and very bad headaches – to the ingredients that go into these scents, so it’s best to avoid wearing them at all.

For additional guidance on what to wear to funerals at Bristol, FL funeral homes, our compassionate and experienced staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations can help. You can come by our funeral home at 20 S. Duval St., Quincy, FL 32351, or you can contact us today at (850) 627-1111.

After funerals at Tallahassee, FL funeral homes, the families of those who died face a dilemma in what to do with all the flowers that are sent for the funeral. While more and more people are choosing to request charitable donations in lieu of flowers, some people will always send flowers anyway. The spray that the family buys for the casket and the standing sprays provided by other family members are usually left at the grave site. However, the rest are given to the family to take home.

Since cut flowers die in a few days, and that may spark even more sadness as you see the symbolism of a loved one’s death in the dying flowers, try out some of these options that let you use or preserve the flowers in a remembrance of your loved one.

One creative use is to dry and frame the flowers. The flowers should be dried immediately, using newspaper, flat cardboard, or facial tissue. Next, you’ll press the flowers in paper towels and insert them between the pages of a book. Space the flowers out so they can dry completely. After you’ve got all the flowers in the book, close the book and place a heavy book on top of it.

In about two weeks, the flowers should be dry and can be removed from the book. They are delicate and can break easily, so handle them carefully as you remove them. Arrange them in decorative frames and hang them throughout your home.

You can also use the pressed flowers to make your own greeting cards, by taping them onto the cover or the inside of a blank card.

Flowers are very aromatic, so using the funeral flowers to make your own potpourri is another creative use for them. For this you’ll need the flowers, a baking sheet, parchment paper, and home fragrance oils (you can find many kinds that are not terribly expensive in places like Whole Foods or vitamin/organic stores).

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Process the flowers so that the stems and leaves are in one pile and the petals and flowers are in another. Put the petals and flowers on the baking sheet. Sprinkle 10-15 drops of your preferences of home fragrance oils on the petals and flowers. Place baking sheet in the oven for a minimum of two hours. Add more of the home fragrance oils you chose when the potpourri is ready. When it’s cooled down, put it in a decorative bowl and enjoy.

You can also use funeral flowers to make someone else’s day. Some ideas are to make remembrance bouquets to give to people who also held your loved one close as friends or family. You can also use funeral flowers by arranging them and delivering them to the residents in an assisted living or nursing home facility nearby. This is a good activity to get the whole immediate family involved in because this is good therapy for everyone.

If you’d like other ideas for using funeral flowers at Tallahassee, FL funeral homes, our compassionate and experienced staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations can help. You can come to our funeral home at 20 S. Duval St., Quincy, FL 32351, or you can contact us today at (850) 627-1111.