Funeral Flowers: Correct etiquette 70 Years Ago Still Stands Today

…one funeral arrangement per funeral is all you need to think about, and only if you are a family member or a close friend.

Funeral Homes and More Deathcare on Twitter

Funeral home business is catching on to Twitter!

A 1939 guide to Arranging and Recording Flowers

This particular entry regards flowers — specifically, the arranging and recording of flowers for a Protestant church funeral.

Debate Continues over Shanidar Cave Burial Flowers

Perhaps by adding the Shanidar plants listed above to your next funeral arrangement, you can alter history – or, at least encourage debate among future scholars.

Which Funeral Floral Arrangement Choice is Correct?

A loved one has died, and the obituary does not stipulate that flowers are unwelcome. What do you do now? Do you send a vase of flowers, a wreath or a plant? Many florists are familiar with your dilemma, and they have answers to your questions.

Funeral Home Options

Have you thought about how your body might be handled after you die? If so, you may have considered creating options for your burial now, even when young. But, the thought of walking into a funeral home to discuss those options might keep you from making those decisions.

“In Lieu of Flowers”

What does it mean when an obituary announcement includes the phrase “In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to…”? This statement means the family of the deceased would prefer donations from the friends and relatives to a charity rather than flowers at the funeral home or at the grave site. But, this statement often singles out the floral industry in a negative manner, and funeral directors may be asked to comply with newspaper obituary guidelines which prohibit discriminatory phrases.

What Do Funeral Flowers Mean?

One of my favorite books is Gaskell’s Compendium of Forms, a social, educational, legal and commercial etiquette book published in 1882. While this self-teaching course in penmanship and bookkeeping is almost a century-and-a-half-old, it can provide some insight into how certain customs are followed, even today. And, no self-taught person would be fully complete without learning the language of flowers.

How to Manage Sympathy Flowers

Sending sympathy flowers is one way to express your condolences to a grieving family. And, receiving flowers often is a heartwarming gift. But with the rising costs of flowers and shipping, are flowers the best way to express your feelings?