Funeral homes are employing a new twist.

bobcat

bobcat

Well-known Member
Location
Northern Calif
Some funeral homes are getting liquor licenses and catering to offer a bit more to grieving families.
Apparently many families would gather after a service and go to a bar to drink a toast to the departed, or to a restaurant for a family meal.
Seeing this as an opportunity and a service, a few funeral homes have decided to offer a bit more for their clients by incorporating these trends into their offerings.
 

seems a reasonable option to me - it is extremely common in Australia for attendees at funerals to then be invited to a pub or club or similar for drinks and meal afterward
Can't see any reason why funeral places should not have a function room with a bar and offer option of doing so there instead.
 

bobcat said:
Some funeral homes are getting liquor licenses and catering to offer a bit more to grieving families.
Apparently many families would gather after a service and go to a bar to drink a toast to the departed, or to a restaurant for a family meal.
Seeing this as an opportunity and a service, a few funeral homes have decided to offer a bit more for their clients by incorporating these trends into their offerings.
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Actually, that's not a bad idea. Anything that makes life easier for the loved ones of the departed.
 
I guess it would be okay if they provide a drink for all the attendees to have a group toast in remembrance of the departed.

But, if they're talking about providing alcohol in a lounge type setting, I can only see that one person that can't handle their liquor causing trouble.
 
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Gross idea imo, but if people need the option to drink and dine surrounded by the dead go for it. I'd also guess there are some cultures or religions that would have similar practices.

After a wake I'm ready to leave asap, and after a burial I'm not going back to the funeral parlor until I'm arranging the next funeral.
 
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I think it is a better idea to go somewhere else. We generally went out together for a meal after a family or close friend funeral. It provides a cushion between that stark grief and helps gently ease you back into the world. It was always nice to visit with friends and family you may not have seen in a while and many a story that caused a smile was told about the deceased.
 
My dad's family had a tradition of making a toast over the departed person's body. Usually with a shot of whiskey.

That was back when the body lay at rest in their own bed or on the formal dining table until the mortician came and picked it up. As far as I know, that was a fairly common tradition.

I like the idea of the funeral home doing it.
 
Given how there are unscrupulous funeral directors who use emotional pressure to up sell products and services by getting the bereaved to show their love for the deceased, I'm not sure that this is a good thing.
 
chic said:
Actually, that's not a bad idea. Anything that makes life easier for the loved ones of the departed.
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When my husband died we had the funeral service at our church and everyone who attended was given an invitation to retire to a local hotel for finger food in the function room. There was an open bar attached and I took care of the bar tab. No-one abused the situation.

Things that were unsaid during the church service were said at the hotel. It was a totally casual setting where people felt quite relaxed. I did not speak at the funeral but I did have a few words to say later.
 
It seems that different cultures have various views of how they deal with the end of life. Some see it as a transition, and others may not. For the Jewish, it involves sitting Shiva for days, Hispanics have their traditions, the Irish have theirs, and Native Americans have theirs.

I guess it would be wrong for a funeral director to treat everyone the same, so perhaps offering it for those who want it seems reasonable to me. Maybe it comes down to how each individual views their own demise and what you might want. People arrange all the details for their weddings, so why not their end of life. Why leave that burden of planning for your loved ones to deal with in their emotionally fraught time.

I would definitely want music at mine, and a celebration of life, and perhaps even dancing (As long as it's not on my grave). As for drinks, sure, why not, but within reason. The American Legion will come and due a final salute for a veteran and present a folded flag to the family as a thank you for their service. I think I might like that.
 

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