Who should attend a viewing?
Who Should Attend the Visitation. Most of the time, a funeral visitation is open to anyone who knew the deceased or has a connection to someone in the family. However, the family might decide to make it only open to family and close friends. Honor this request and don’t take it personally if you are not invited.
What is proper etiquette for a funeral?
In light of this, the general advice for how to act at a funeral or memorial service is to be respectful, courteous, and generous to others. Remember that the simple presence of a friend, a hug, or a kind word can go a long way towards making someone feel comforted.
Do you stay for the whole viewing?
As soon as you have offered your condolences to the family and have viewed the body, you can leave the visitation. You are not expected to stay for the entire length of time, but you may find yourself doing so if you know many of the attendees.
How long should you stay at a viewing?
There is no requirement for how long you should stay at a visitation. The length of your visit depends more on how well you know the family and how long it takes to offer your condolences and speak to other visitors. Many people stay a short time, about 15 minutes, which can be long enough to extend your sympathies.
What is the viewing before a funeral called?
Visitation. A gathering held with the deceased’s body present; a time for family and friends to express condolences and support one another; also called a viewing, wake or calling hours.
How long after someone dies is the viewing?
In the U.S. the services typically take place between 3 and 7 days after the death. In the past, the answer to the question of how many days after death is a funeral held was largely determined by a combination of factors that the family of the deceased had little or no control over.
What can I expect at a funeral viewing?
Visitations, most often at the funeral home, tend to be a time when friends and family members gather together. A combination of pictures, flowers, and the urn are set-up in place of the casket; some families choose to not even have the ashes present. People attend and offer support to the family.
Is it better to go to the wake or funeral?
When You Should Attend Just the Wake or Just the Funeral. Someone wise once said that you should attend the wake if you would like to show support to the survivors. You should attend the funeral if you need to grieve yourself. If you find yourself in both camps, attend both the wake and the funeral.