Funeral Faux Pas to Avoid

Faux paus happen at funerals at funeral homes in Burtonsville, MD more often than you might think. It’s not that people are intentionally committing them. Instead, they simply don’t understand what is acceptable and unacceptable at funerals.

There are unspoken rules about conduct and dress at funerals. These are in place as a way to show respect to the deceased and to the grieving family. Though you probably won’t be called out for making one of these unintentional errors, it can be embarrassing, seemingly disrespectful, and hurtful to the bereaved family.

One thing that’s considered a faux pas when attending a funeral is to take pictures of the grieving family or their loved one who has died. With the advent of social media, taking pictures at any event is almost second nature.

However, a funeral is the one place where no pictures should be taken. This can be challenging, because funerals often bring together family members who are seldom in one place at the same time. If you choose to take photos, they should be somewhere other than the location of the funeral service. Preferably, family members should arrange to meet somewhere else if everyone wants family pictures taken.

Under no circumstances should you take pictures of the deceased. Although many funerals are recorded or live streamed with an open casket during the funeral service, it is still considered disrespectful to take pictures of someone who is died.

Using a cell phone during the funeral service is another faux pas. While we’re attached to our smartphones seemingly all the time, we should put them aside out of respect for the deceased and the bereaved family while we’re at a funeral service. There is no phone call, text message, or social media post that can’t wait for about an hour.

The optimal thing to do is to leave your cell phone in the car. That way you won’t be tempted to answer a call, answer a text, or post messages on social media. However, because cell phones have become a necessary accessory, if you do bring it into the funeral home, you should put it on vibrate so that it doesn’t ring or ding during the service.

A third faux pas at funerals is wearing bright or sexy clothing. Black is the traditional color that is worn at funerals. If you don’t have anything black, then gray, navy, or dark brown clothing is acceptable.

A funeral is a somber occasion, and wearing bright clothing suggests that the funeral is a casual event to you and that you don’t have respect for the mourning that the family of the deceased is experiencing. Additionally, bright clothing takes the focus off the family and puts it on you, which is also considered disrespectful.

Clothing should be modest because you do not want to draw attention away from the grieving family to yourself. Sleeveless dresses or blouses should be covered by a sweater or jacket. Clothing should not be form-fitting, nor should it be suggestive. Ladies should wear flat shoes without open toes.

However, if you’re attending a funeral where the deceased has a different cultural tradition than that in most American funerals, you should talk with the family member to find out what is appropriate to wear.

If you’d like to know more about funeral etiquette at funeral homes in Burtonsville, MD, you can talk with our knowledgeable team at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. You can visit our funeral home at 4400 Powder Mill Rd., Beltsville, MD, 20705, or you can call us today at (301) 937-1707.