In most families funerals takes place just a few days after a person dies. But do you know what the right time is to conduct a funeral after a person passes away? How long after a person’s death do you need to wait and then contact the friends and relatives to arrange the funeral reception? In this article, we will discuss several aspects of conducting a funeral reception the right way and at the right time.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME PERIOD BETWEEN DEATH & A FUNERAL?

On Average, most American funerals are conducted within 1 week or even lesser time after the death of a person. Most families generally take the help of any funeral service or home to conduct the entire arrangements of the funeral reception. Though the average time of a funeral conducted in America is about one week, traditionally speaking funerals are supposed to be conducted within two or three days as the dead body starts to decompose. As technology and advancements in science have evolved, the modern preservation methods allow the families to get a little more time to arrange and conduct the entire event. As a result, families can now get the time to make arrangements and also choose a proper day for the funeral ceremony.

If the deceased person’s body is cremated, the family can extend the time of the funeral and can arrange the funeral after a month or so. Also, a memorial service for the deceased person can also be conducted after a month of burial or cremation once the family feels a little more comfortable. So the time of the funeral varies from family to family.

WHICH DAYS ARE FUNERALS HELD ON?

We do not have control over life and death. Death can happen any day, so funeral homes are opened every day. Now if it is a planned funeral ceremony then most funerals take place on Saturdays in America. Whereas Sundays are the least occupied day. In certain burial cemeteries, on Sundays, they might even charge some extra bucks for opening & closing the grave.

CAN YOU DELAY THE FUNERAL RECEPTION?

Well, frankly speaking, most families do not delay a funeral ceremony because of its purpose. Funerals are held to say the last goodbye and celebrate the life of the deceased person. Also, it is during this event relatives and friends pay visit to the deceased person’s home and support and sympathizes with the close family members. Often people shift other plans to attend funerals of their loved ones. Sometimes funerals are delayed if a family member or loved one is stuck in some other country and needs time two or three days time to reach.

Sometimes funerals are also delayed if the deceased person’s death is unnatural or he’/she died in some foreign country and the body needs to be shifted. In that case police investigations, power outages and weather events might become a reason to delay a funeral ceremony. Now, these things are obviously not under anybody’s control.

If the funeral reception needs to be delayed due to some issues, the best way out is to cremate the body and then conduct the funeral reception later on an appropriate day. If you are looking for preservation of the body then you should consider the fact that no preservation methods or procedures can preserve the body for more than 2 weeks post the death.

WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF HOLDING A FUNERAL CEREMONY?

As you turn the chapters of history you will find the occurrence of funerals being held since time immemorial. When a loved one passes out, a genuine urge of paying respect, compassion, honor and remember him/her comes within us. Funerals are not just some mere rituals that we need to do because our ancestors did so, but it has some deep purpose. Here are the four main purposes of conducting a funeral:

• Reality: It takes time for us to accept the death of a loved one. Our soul and mind remain so disturbed by the death of a loved one that we do not have the strength to accept the reality. The major purpose of the funeral is to help the family members accept reality and get the time to heal the mind and soul.
• Recall: The next main purpose of the funeral is to remember the deceased person and celebrate his/her life. By recalling & sharing the bond about the relationship with the deceased person, the family members and close friends help themselves to get steady. It’s all about remembering the beautiful memories.
• Support: A funeral is a gathering of relatives and friends of the deceased person. The death of a person is a permanent loss which can never be mended. As relatives and friends get together we support each other by sharing good memories and expressing our feelings for the deceased loved one.
• Transcendence: A funeral allows every person who was associated with the deceased person to find out a new self-identity. For instance, if someone’s spouse passed away, he/she goes from a married to single status. Everyone in the funeral ceremony publicly acknowledges the change and offers compassion and support towards his/her new status.

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF ORGANIZING A FUNERAL RECEPTION?

Funeral arrangements are mostly done by the family members themselves. But when a loved one passes out one cannot be in a state of mind to organize a funeral ceremony, attend to guests, serve food and do other important activities required during the funeral. In that case, the best way out is to rely on any close friend or family member who is strong enough to organize and handle the ceremony. If you are conducting the funeral ceremony at some funeral home or church, you might not worry about the arrangements as there are pre-assigned people who take care of everything. You can also hire a professional funeral planner who will take care of everything from the scratch.

Whether you are holding the funeral after 2 or 3 days or after a month after a loved one’s death, the ultimate purpose is to pay last honor, love and respect & celebrate his/her life.