Memorial funeral programs are programs created for a funeral service which are intended to provide information and comfort about the deceased to those attending the service. Funeral programs may also be given to those who could not attend the funeral service, as a way of providing comfort despite the fact that they were unable to physically be present at the service itself. Memorial funeral programs are a relatively modern part of a funeral service. In the past, they were typically reserved for “event” funerals, such as public funerals for high-profile figures, heads of state or royalty. More and more people, however, are taking advantage of the reasonable cost of memorial funeral programs to help memorialize their own deceased loved ones.
Memorial programs can be completely customized and it is usually up to the loved ones of the deceased to decide what they would like to include in the program. Many funeral homes, however, provide funeral program templates which provide a well-designed and easy-to-read program without requiring loved ones to fuss over the design of the program itself and instead be able to focus on what is truly important—its contents. The contents of a typical program will always include the following: The birth and death date of the deceased, usually on the cover of the program; At least one well-shot photograph of the deceased, usually on the cover or the right inside cover
The rest of the content tends to vary person by person. For example, some individuals may wish to include a religious verse, quote, poem, song or hymn as a means of comfort and solace. Others who are or are not religious may choose more secular quotes, such as poetry about grieving or death or inspirational quotations about the life, grieving and taking joy in the memory of someone who has lived a fulfilling life. Some memorial programs may even contain words written by the deceased themselves, including poetry, prose, or even final messages composed by the deceased before their passing. Programs may also include quotations or prose from a favorite song or book that the deceased enjoyed. All of these options and more are intended to provide loved ones with the opportunity to best represent the deceased and to provide a comforting memory of the funeral service which may be kept by loved ones. Some people, for example, choose to display funeral programs in a prominent area of the house along with photographs of other mementos of loved ones who have died.
Memorial funeral programs are more than just a way of informing funeral service attendees about the person that has passed on. They are a way for the loved ones who create them to lovingly create a program which represents the love and compassion they felt for the person who has passed on, all while providing comfort to the living who are now grieving. Funeral programs are therefore a relatively inexpensive funeral service expense which has an infinite number of benefits to the grieved.
Be sure to check out our article for funeral songs.
