More Quirky Funeral Facts

No Reflection On You!

Apparently in China, when someone dies, the deceased's family will turn all mirrors to the wall (or covere them up) as it is believed that if a person sees a reflection of a coffin then that person will also suffer a death in their own family!! And the 'funeral ceremony' can last 49 DAYS! - How long?

Also, due to the inherent lack of space and money in China, most people opt for cremation over burial.

Have Custom Designed Coffin!

There are many companies willing to make you a custom coffin. But funeral directors, Mike Konigsfeld and Tom Brandl in Cologne, Germany have launched a whacky range of coffins specially designed for gay customers. Their painted caskets feature erotic artwork on the outside and tastefully luxurious plush designer interiors for a 'nice' send-off... but do a Google and you'll find you can pretty much get any design on your own coffin, even cazt shapes...

... as the BBC reports it here: where 100's of specially designed coffins are on dislay at the National Coffin Exhibition... some are amazing like the Rolls Royce or the Viking Long Boat coffin!

Death? Just Not Interested

WalletPop's recent research found that 70+% of over 65s in the UK - that is more than 7.5 million of the current population – said they were yet to declare if they would prefer to be buried or cremated or even specify what kind of funeral service they want. Not a nation of funeral planners then?

But... Growth in Funeral Plan Purchase !

Age UK say 2009 saw their biggest increase in the purchase of Funeral Plans (they sold 180,000) stating the current economic climate may have motivated people to pre-pay and so avoid the inevitable inflation.

See Venice and Die!

Well Stravinsky, Brodsky and Ezra did ! As they lie in one on the world's most prestigious resting places... San Michele in Venice. Known locally as the 'Island of the Dead' (sounds like a horror movie eh?

Keeping it in the Royal Family

The Royals are often buried together. In the UK,  Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried in teh Mausoleum. Most of the other Royals are at Frogmore burial ground, including... Q. Victoria's children, Duke/Duchess of Windsor and the infamous Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson.

Jazz It All Up!

In the book  "The Edinburgh Graveyard Guide", the author thinks that the mixture of UK immigrants have influenced the more adventurous funeral and colourful decorations seen in today's society. He explains: "People coming to Britain from abroad have their own rituals and ceremonies. People from the Philippines, in particular, have a different attitude to death. They sing over the coffin, tell stories and make quite an elaborate show of things. Now some of these practices might have filtered through to us." So don't be too surprised to see a big change in funeral ceremonies, coffin design and funeral celbrations...

For instance there has been motorbike hearses, painted coffins in football colours, even in  tartan coffins...a ballet shoe shape, striped tombstones . Yes now funerals can be fun!

So, even the great English 'stiff upper lip' is slowly turning to a wry smile in the funeral planning game !

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/elderly-care-articles/more-quirky-funeral-facts-3752421.html

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