Why Sending Flowers to a Funeral is Important (2024)

FAQs

Why Sending Flowers to a Funeral is Important? ›

First, they do it as a means of expression. Since it can be difficult for those in mourning to put their feelings into words, flowers can act as an expression of love, comfort, sympathy, and respect. Flowers also create a background of warmth and beauty, adding to the dignity and consolation of the funeral service.

Today flowers are used at funerals as a visual expression of our sympathy, grief, love and respect to the deceased, but this was not always the case. In early times, fragrant funeral flowers were placed on and around the casket of the deceased to perfume the area and ward off the smell of the decaying body.

If you're a regular guest with no notable ties to the deceased, it would be most appropriate to just come by yourself and not come along with flowers. Most times, only the close family's flowers will be put on the coffin during the funeral service.

Flowers in funeral services serve several roles. Initially, they act as a magnificent visual expression of sympathy, showing those in mourning that they are not alone. They depict profound respect and love for the deceased, helping to honor their memory beautifully and meaningfully.

A HISTORY OF FUNERAL FLOWERS

Funeral flowers date back to ancient times. In 1951, researchers discovered burial sites in Northern Iraq that used flowers. The sites are believed to date back to 62,000 B.C. For the ancient Egyptians, the lotus was seen as a sacred flower.

First, they do it as a means of expression. Since it can be difficult for those in mourning to put their feelings into words, flowers can act as an expression of love, comfort, sympathy, and respect. Flowers also create a background of warmth and beauty, adding to the dignity and consolation of the funeral service.

Funeral flower etiquette dictates that you always address funeral flowers to the funeral parlor, with an instruction informing the funeral home personnel that the flowers are for the funeral of the name of the decedent. You can also take funeral flowers to the grave – especially if you're a family member.

It's common to send flowers to the family's home or to the funeral home before a funeral, but they are not something that you should take to a funeral. Often, only the immediate family's flowers will be placed on the coffin during the service, so don't be too concerned if you don't see your flowers displayed.

The most traditional funeral flowers center around the lily. The lily can be a powerful symbol of the spirit of a loved one that offers hope and encouragement to a grieving family. White is a good color to send for a faith-based or religious service.

In many cultures and faiths, sending flowers is a welcome and traditional way to express sympathy. There are some cultures that avoid the giving of flowers altogether, so try to find out from a family member, the funeral director or person conducting the funeral what is most suitable.

What flower symbolizes grief? ›

Chrysanthemums or mums as they are commonly known are exclusively used at funerals and on grave sites. Mums' flowers in many traditions symbolize mourning and grief.

Send Them Anytime

You may only find out that a loved one has lost someone after the service. In that case, it's still appropriate to send flowers. Grief often persists for weeks, so it can be especially impactful to send flowers after some time has passed.

What Do Flowers Symbolize? With their colorful and beautiful blooms, flower meanings are often synonymous with joy and pleasure. However, different types and colors of flowers bring unique meanings. Some flowers are seen as symbols of friendship and purity, while others are tied to forgiveness and death.

This traditional color choice represents honor, peace, and innocence. Pink is considered a respectful color choice, used to express gentleness and sympathy. Red flowers symbolize love, as well as beauty and strength. Purple represents dignity and respect, as well as a regal presence.

Flowers have traditionally been used to express respect for the deceased and sympathy for the bereaved. They are a visual expression of love, respect and sympathy, and a way of sharing the burden of grief.

After the service, close friends or family will usually take any flowers home straight away or collect them a day or two later. The average flower arrangement will last up to two weeks before being thrown away or composted by the person who took it home. What's a celebration of life?

The lily is the flower most commonly associated with bereavement, specifically when it's white in color. White lilies symbolize innocence, the rebirth of the soul, and purity. Additionally, the Oriental lily signifies sympathy, and the stargazer lily symbolizes eternal life.

Traditionally, white is the colour of choice for most funeral and condolence flowers. In the language of flowers, white flowers represent peace, innocence and purity. This makes them a perfect fit for funerals, as well as weddings and baby showers.

Funeral casket flower arrangements are a symbol of love and faith. Flowers are a way of letting the family and the friends know that you are there for them, conveying your love for those you lost and symbolizing what they meant in your life.

Mourning loved ones often find it challenging to articulate their feelings during such a difficult time, and flowers act as a visual expression of love, comfort, and respect for both the departed and their grieving family.