Funerals are a time to reflect and remember the good things in a person’s life. Family and friends gathered around, honoring the deceased. Gentle music and a muted atmosphere to enhance the serenity and peace. Having nice funeral casket flowers and arrangements adds to that peace and serenity as well.

When it comes to creating the scene with flowers, from the casket spray, standing sprays, wreaths and bouquets, there are some very nice choices available that shows how much the deceased was cared for and adds to the atmosphere of the funeral. Making arrangements for the funeral is always hard on the family, so anything that makes it easier is always a good thing. That’s where placing an order for funeral casket flowers online can really help.

Going onto the internet and finding an online florist is a breeze. Once you’ve found a florist, taking a look at all the great offerings they have available will be the most time consuming part of the process. After making your selection, whether it’s a beautiful casket spray, a wreath or a wonderful arrangement, all that’s required is the delivery address of the funeral home and the funeral information and completing the checkout procedure.

Since funerals generally run on a fairly short time frame, it’s nice to know that even if flowers have to be delivered the same day, as long as the florist has a couple of hours notice, they can be. And being able to connect with an online florist which is a part of the national network of florists, being able to make arrangements from anywhere, even across the country is possible. And if you’re ordering flowers for a loved one but will be unable to attend, being able to send funeral casket flowers online ensures the family knows you care.

Phone calls and condolence cards are good, but being able to reach out and touch with funeral casket flowers adds a level of care that goes above and beyond. Being able to share the beauty of a wonderful casket spray or even sending the family a gift basket is a great way to enhance the sharing and caring that a funeral evokes. Go online and take a look at the great flowers and arrangements available for funeral casket flowers. You’ll be comforted by how beautiful they are and being able to place the order online relieves at least one responsibility of having to make arrangements for a funeral or to honor the deceased with a gift of flowers.

Author: Melanie Walters

These are the common pitfalls people run into when writing obituaries. These mistakes make the difference between a good obituary and a meaningful obituary. Learn how you can avoid these pitfalls when writing obituaries for your loved ones.

Why You Might Hit Pitfalls When Writing Obituaries
Writing obituaries is often a sad task because you have to do it after someone you love has passed on. Because of this, sometimes you can make mistakes with the obituary that pulls the focus away from the celebration of life and announcement of death that an obituary really is. Also, if you’ve never written an obituary before, you may not fully understand what you need to write about.

What is an Obituary?
An obituary is a notice that announces the death of someone with a description of the person’s life and list of family members. An obituary can be published in a newspaper, online or in the funeral program. There are subtle differences in the obituary based on where it will be published. Find out how to write an obituary at ObituariesHelp.org

What are the Common Pitfalls When Writing Obituaries?
There are many but the most common ones are:

• Writing about the loss rather than writing about the deceased.

 

• Writing too much about the events leading up to the death and the death itself.

 

• Writing too much about the funeral.

 

• Writing that uses clichés.

 

• Thanking people in an obituary

 

Writing About the Loss Rather Than Writing About the Deceased
This pitfall is the most common. Writing about the family or about how the person writing the obituary feels rather than writing about the deceased is not appropriate. Do not write about how the family is feeling after the death of their loved one. Phrases to avoid are:

• With deep sorrow, the family announces….

 

• It is with great sadness that we announce….

 

• With mixed emotions, we announce the peaceful passing….

 

It is assumed that you will have some emotions toward the death of your loved one, to write it in the obituary is unnecessary. Besides an obituary is about the deceased, not the mourners. It is also important that you speak of the deceased in third person, using He or She. Don’t use the words that you, the writer used when addressing the deceased, like “mom” or “auntie”

Writing Too Much About the Death
It is not necessary to mention the cause of death, although it is perfectly appropriate to do so. But if someone died from an illness it is not appropriate to explain details of the illness up until the death. These phrases are appropriate although as I mentioned, not necessary:

• Died of Name of Disease

 

• Passed away peacefully…

 

• Passed away suddenly…

 

The fact is, the person has died, but details about the death are better left to conversations or memoirs than in an obituary. It is just not appropriate.

Writing Too Much About the Funeral There is a subtle difference between announcing the funeral in an obituary and describing the funeral. A funeral should be announced, but not described in an obituary. It is not a party invitation, it is an announcement of the passing of a dear person so that every one can come and pay their respects. Give dates, times, locations and required dress or etiquette of the funeral, but describing the casket, flowers and menu is not appropriate.

Writing that Uses Clichés
The interesting thing about clichés is that some people understand them and others don’t at all. It may be completely clear to you what is meant but imagine you are new to the English Language, would you understand these phrases:

• Gone to meet his maker

 

• In Lieu of Flowers

 

• After a long battle with Name of Disease…

 

Rather you could say:

• Died peacefully

 

• Donations can be made to Name of Organization

 

• Succumbed to Name of Disease

 

Thanking People in an Obituary
This is a touchy subject, but unless you have spoken to the deceased about whom they would want to thank in their obituary or are writing your own obituary, thanking people is not appropriate for several reasons:

• You might miss out some very important people that the deceased would have wanted included.

 

• Thanking only those involved with the funeral leaves out everyone who helped the deceased before death.

 

• Thank you notes should be hand written and given or sent directly to the person you wish to thank. A thank you in an obituary is neither heartfelt nor appropriate. See funeral thank you notes at ObituariesHelp.org

 

With a little bit of care you can avoid this pitfalls when writing obituaries. It is best to read it over and have others read it over to make sure you haven’t fallen into these traps. Proofread it carefully and make sure you’ve included every detail that the deceased would have wanted in the space allotted.

Author: Yodle

When a loved one dies, we all react differently. For some people, accepting the inevitable loss of a 87-year-old much-loved grandfather following a lengthy illness is not that difficult. For others, it is an unbearable task. Similarly, some people seem to “get over” the loss of a small child in a relatively short period of time, while others never seem to recover.

For the many people who find it hard to cope with a death, grief counseling often can help them make the transition. Its goal is to help people grieve within a normal, healthy period of time and eventually resume their daily lives. Grief counseling can be a long-term process, a short-term affair or even a one-off, and can occur on a one-to-one basis or in groups.

For people for whom grief counseling is not enough, grief therapy may be the answer. It helps people with complicated or abnormal grief reactions deal better with the conflict of separation, using specialized techniques to help them eventually function again as a happy human being.

Five Stages of Grief

Psychiatrist and author Elisabeth Kubler-Ross first introduced this model in 1969 in her book On Death and Dying. She wrote it particularly for people who were dying themselves as the result of a terminal illness. However, her five steps later became identified as the five stages we all go through when someone else dies, and are now widely seen as a useful tool for people going through the grieving or bereavement process. They are:
Denial. The first phase we all go through. Either you deny that it is happening to you or you find yourself “forgetting” that the event has happened at all, by continuing to set a place at table for the deceased, buying them a present or talking to them.
Anger/Blaming. This stage occurs once the denial is over, when you get incensed over what has transpired and seek to lay blame. You might blame your husband for something he did “wrong”, you might blame yourself.
Bargaining. Trying to bargain for time, saying you will do this and that if the inevitable does not happen. Some people try to bargain with God to get their loved one back.
Depression. Once you have begun the process of acceptance often you are faced with intense depression, and seemingly don’t care what happens any more at all.
Acceptance. When the depression begins to lift an acceptance of the inevitable begins, and you can begin to rebuild your life and move on.

How Grief Counseling Can Help

In today’s society it’s generally accepted that grieving is a normal process, but unfortunately we don’t all know how to grieve. Grief counseling can help us to express our feelings and adjust to the loss. Please be aware, however, that in specific situations – such as when a child dies or a homicide unexpectedly occurs – that specialized counseling may be warranted.

Here are some basics about the grief counseling process:
Grief counseling is specific for people who are bereaved. Grief counselors can be clergy people, trained therapists or social workers, and can work individually with bereaved individuals or in groups.
The counseling seeks first of all for an expression of grief, and to understand that their feelings are normal and, hopefully, only temporary. It can be helpful to consolidate memories, learn how they affect us, and then move on.
Some people feel so shocked or numb following the death of a loved one that they are unable to cope. Talking about these feelings and getting them out in the open can help them go forward.
Sometimes there are unresolved issues between the person who is being counseled and the deceased. Counseling can help resolve them.
As grief counseling helps consolidate feelings, it sometimes is implemented after a loss of a different kinds other than death, ie, the break-up of a relationship or the loss of a job. In many cases, the grieving process is the same. Loss of a feeling of personal safety following a trauma or even the loss of a dream many require similar counseling.
When a child does, the two parents may deal with their loss differently – and at a different pace. Everyone grieves differently, although it can be hard for people to understand that when they are suffering the same loss. Couples grief counseling can help partners to understand each other’s needs and not place blame on each other.

Many people wrongly assume that the funeral spells the end of the grieving process, when it actuality it’s often the beginning. Grief counseling – and occasionally grief therapy – can help people come to terms with their loss and continue on with their lives.

Experts in the field have recognized that there is no set timetable for getting over a loss, and that it’s not always important to stay strong. Everyone grieves differently, and you may feel numbness, disbelief, shock, anger, pain, fear and even physical symptoms such as headaches, chronic fatigue and panic attacks.

Getting the right support you need is paramount, not just from other family members and friends but also from support groups and professionals. Finding someone who has gone through similar trying times can help greatly, as can finding someone to talk you through the myriad changes you are experiencing.

If your grief is turning into depression, it’s time to face things head on and get professional support. Treatment can lift you up throughout the mourning process, so ask for help – and get it. Coping with grief is not an insurmountable task, but it’s one that many of us need help to get through.