Is Celebration of Life Different from a Funeral?

Many people think of a celebration of life, and this is because they both involve gathering people together to commemorate a deceased person. However, the nature of these events and their activities are clearly different. With the help of funeral homes in Center Grove, IN, we now clearly understand where the celebration of life varies from the funeral. 

What is a Funeral? 

A funeral generally is an event involving a series of activities that hold before a deceased's burial or cremation. Many people see the funeral as a formal and solemn event where you perform cultural or religious rites needed for the deceased's transition from a particular social status to another. There is a lot of focus on grief during funerals, and as such, the atmosphere is almost always dull and calm. While there can be some form of commemoration of the deceased's life, the general purpose of the funeral is to see them off somberly. 

What is a Celebration of Life? 

The celebration of life is also an event where people gather because of a deceased person. However, this time around, the focus is on commemorating and eulogizing the departed person's life and personality. You would find a lot of reminiscing and storytelling during the celebration of life, and it typically involves fun activities. Generally, the atmosphere is more upbeat, and there is much less mourning, if any at all. 

How the Celebration of Life is Different from a Funeral 

Below, we discuss the ways through which the celebration of life differs from a funeral service: 

1)  Doesn't Involve a Burial 

Families often hold the funeral service during the process of disposing of their departed loved one, either through burial or cremation. However, the celebration of life service can be held anytime, either before or after burial. It is quite common to see families and friends hold a celebration of life months after the deceased has passed. 

2)  No Formality or Structure 

The funeral is often one solemn, formal event with a structure guiding the activities involved. Typically, you will have a "visitation" period (also called the viewing or lying-in-state) followed by the formal funeral and commemoration service. Note that this funeral service is usually a religious one. 

This next item on the agenda is commonly the committal or interment, after which you have a reception. On the other hand, the celebration of life service doesn't have any of these formalities. 

3)  Includes a Variety of Activities 

There is total freedom to creatively select activities for the celebration of life. The celebration of life is a "celebration" of the deceased's uniqueness and personality. Therefore, you don't need to hold it in a solemn atmosphere but instead introduce interesting but symbolic activities. 

For instance, if the departed person was an athlete, organize a small-scale competition in their favorite sport involving friends and relatives. If they were interested in kids, organize a general visit to an orphanage alongside close persons. 

Another great idea is the variety evening where you sing the deceased's most loved songs, read their favorite poems, and share memories with attendees. 

4)  Doesn't Have Strict Timing 

Generally, the funeral doesn't hold too long after a person's death. This is because it is often an event that needs to happen for the person to be buried or cremated. 

However, there is no timing for the celebration of life. While it is common for it to occur shortly after the death, it does happen that families postpone it for months. 

The celebration of life may also be an annual tradition held on every anniversary of the deceased's departure. 

5)  Guests are Often Close Friends 

A funeral is often a public event with the attendance of several people both closely and remotely related to the deceased. You would see simply work colleagues, mere acquaintances and several others who barely knew the departed loved one. However, the celebration of life is a more private affair, with the presence of very familiar persons. 

Conclusion 

Celebration of life and funeral services have some things in common, but according to funeral homes in Center Grove, IN, there are some clear differences, which we have outlined here.