What Is a Celebration of Life?

A “Celebration of Life” is a get-together hosted by friends and/or family of someone who has died. It is supposed to be a happy, uplifting way to memorialize the person who is no longer with us. Often, the celebration of life takes place sometime after the funeral.

The celebration of life can be anything you want it to be, but most often it is hosted in a restaurant or community hall. Usually food and/or drink is available for those attending. There may or may not be a microphone available for anyone who wants to say something about the person who has passed.

Sometimes the deceased will designate and set aside money in his or her will to fund the celebration of life. The idea behind it is to have a positive occasion that is separate from the funeral and is planned well in advance. By planning ahead, persons living far away have time to plan to attend.

Another advantage of having a celebration of life at a later date is that it allows grief-stricken family members some time to heal before having to face a lot of guests.

Why have a Celebration of Life?

Often funerals are private affairs only for close family members. For all of those who were not able to attend the funeral, a celebration of life is an opportunity to get together and remember the deceased. This kind of get together can offer closure for many people who knew the deceased and would like to pay their respects.

If you have questions about traditional funeral services in British Columbia, please feel free to call us at (604) 463-8121 in Vancouver.

Maple Ridge Funeral Chapel and Crematorium, based in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, provides has been providing compassionate funeral services on the Lower Mainland for over 60 years. We have deep roots in the community and take great pride in caring ethics and exemplary service. If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about funeral services, please call us at (604) 463-8121.