Why send flowers to a funeral?

          Dying Flowers

      Have you ever heard someone say that they are not going to send flowers to a funeral because “flowers will just die anyway”?  I have.   We go to work every day, we eat every day and we sleep every day, and unfortunately we are going to die. Why not send flowers to someone you cared deeply about even if the flowers are going to die.  Flowers leave a lasting impression at a funeral home.  They bring comfort to the members of the family and to friends.  Believe me I know.  When my husband died, I felt like I could not go on, I felt that I could not put one foot in front of the other.  But then a bouquet of fresh flowers would arrive, and I would know that someone was thinking of me and I would recall happier times that person and I shared in my life.  I needed that for the first week my husband was gone.  In fact I needed it longer than that, but the first week, it really kept me going.  And then when I  think of those dark days, when I had to go to the funeral home and spend those last few hours with my husband’s body, thank goodness I have wonderful visions of the flowers that surrounded him,  not  the color of the wallpaper of the funeral home or  the carpet color.  I could not even tell you what color they were, but I do remember how loved I felt and the memory of so many people feeling the loss of my husband because of the amount of flowers that were there.  It truly made a difference. 

    Have you ever been to a funeral where there were not many flowers present?  Didn’t you feel like something was missing?  What do you say to someone while you are waiting in line to view the body?  Think about it, flowers give you something to focus on other than the sadness in the room.  Some funerals are now called a celebration of life.  Tell me were flowers ever present when you celebrated? Of course there where flowers present at the celebration.   With all the colors and shapes, how could you not feel a celebration?  If your loved one loved the color pink, give everyone a pink carnation that comes to the service.  Carnations are one of the longest lasting flowers there is.  And when your friends see the flower they will think of your loved one and you.  If your loved one loved Country Music, put their favorite CD’s in the funeral flowers.  We can decorate with that theme and it will be a reflection of the loved one you lost.   Your Funeral Director will see that you get the CD’s back.   Favorite football teams can be reflected in team colors used as flowers.  Use flowers to reflect what your loved ones loved.  After all this is a celebration of their life.

    Giving to charities is a wonderful thing.  And you should give your friends a charitable name to donate to if that is the way you want to go.  But express it as an option, not the only way to go. No one should feel guilty for expressing their love with flowers.  There are many ways to go.   But remember the atmosphere you express with flowers will be one of the last gifts that you can give your loved one.  That memory will stay with you forever.  Give it some thought and express your love with flowers.  Flowers are going to die and so are we in this life.   That is a fact of life we can not escape and that is why flowers are a wonderful expression of sympathy.  Some are beautiful, some are fragile, some are long lasting, some are simple, some are elegant, some are bright and some are muted.  That is the way our lives are.   

          Brenda A. Kneller
          Cremer Florist & Greenhouse