Living Funerals

With the recent talks on hosting a living funeral which was made known in the papers thanks to the owner of ‘Kin Thread’, Michelle Ng, more light is finally shone on hosting a funeral for oneself while still alive. A living funeral is often conducted by someone who knows that their death is imminent. Its importance in providing closure to both the person hosting and the attendees is overlooked.

Harmony Funeral Care helps to arrange living funerals even before it is popularised. We have had many who has come to us to plan for their funerals and that include living funerals as well. A living funeral involves bringing people together, usually your loved ones in an attempt to bid your goodbyes to them. It can be therapeutic and often provides proper closure for both the living as well as the person who is about to leave.

In planning for a living funeral, it is important to consider who the attendees would be, whether the event will be a small-scaled event only with close relatives and family members or a larger-scaled one with friends as well. A venue will then be chosen for the event which has to have the capacity to host the total number of attendees. Food is a must-have for such events and it can usually be catered in the form of either buffets or live-cook stations (if the place is large enough). At times, emcees would be invited to host the event. More often though, the event would consists of heartfelt sharing and conversations. These conversations would usually be initiated by the host (the person who is about to pass away) and centre around him or her. We encourage the person planning the living funeral to have a list of speeches prepared to share what she or he wants to be made known when it is still doable. Conversations could start from expressing gratitude and love towards people who have helped us before and who have made a significant impact on our lives, to seeking forgiveness from those we have unintentionally offended in this life. At Harmony Funeral Care, we can arrange for professional photographers and videographers to ensure that such pivotal moments are captured.

If conducting a living funeral is not something you feel at ease with for various reasons, our specialized team can create videos to convey your thoughts and messages to your family after your passing. This may encompass specific instructions outlined in your will or explanations regarding the decisions you've made.