I Want A Fun Funeral Blog
Update thy passwords!
One of my main jobs here is to encourage… urge… (try not to lambaste) people to make their goodbye plans ahead of time. (And just as importantly, to put a little LIFE in them! Yay.), Yet I myself don't always live up this ideal. Of course, I do have plans, fo' sure....
Ever think about your own death? Not as an abstraction, but for real, as in turning in for the night and never waking up, or keeling over on the kitchen counter and being a goner just like that. I could get more graphic, but there's really no reason for that! (Though...
For All Who Want a Fun Funeral
As passionate cheerleader for uplifting celebrations of life (aka 'fun funerals') for the past eight years, I'm always taking note of people's reactions. I used to stress — disclaimer-like — that "It's not for everyone," but what I've observed is that the people who...
Planning Your Own Funeral and Doing It Right – Guest Post
This month's post comes from Craig Meadows, the creator of Surviving Day One. Having dealt with three life-changing challenges in his life, he created the site to offer support to anyone going through a traumatic or difficult experience. When he isn’t working on his...
Cremation and Celebration — hand in hand
Having a cremation ≠ no funeral service. Cremations are becoming more and more popular, that much is clear. But with it, there is also a trend towards skipping any kind of service. Not cool! Sometimes, if there is literally no family left, or there was explicit,...
A refreshing look at mortality – Dick Johnson is Dead
Have you seen the new documentary on Netflix Dick Johnson is Dead? If you're even glancing at a blog post on I Want a Fun Funeral, this has got to be right up your alley. 86-year old Dick Johnson has just begun a dementia decline, and his filmmaker daughter, Kirsten...
A standing ovation! The grand finale of a fireworks display! An outpouring of recognition and gratitude like nobody's business. It's just not the time to skimp or be reserved. Be bold and beautiful in your Goodbye to your so-loved person.
Fun, Inspiring Examples for You
Could you use a little inspiration for a knock-out goodbye party? Whether thinking of your own or for someone else — remember: Don't have a boring, forgettable funeral. But some life into it. This sacred ritual should reflect the life and spirit of the dearly...
I Want a Fun Funeral Manifesto
There's no time like the present. It's been a year like no other, so might as well finish it off with something you've never done before. Nothing is weird right now. Get that personal goodbye celebration written down. Ideas bandied about, decisions made, huge peace of...
Illustration of How to Take it Up a Notch
There's a funeral on the horizon. Well, there's always a funeral on the horizon, but let's say it's imminent or expected. You like the idea of Taking It Up a Notch, but just don't see any big, obvious way to do it. There's no all-consuming passion or notable personal...
Before I Die Festival
Just in time for Halloween… the 4th Annual Before I Die New Mexico (Virtual) Festival. Yes, it's 1910 miles away, but one of the upsides of the pandemic is that with Zoom geography is no obstacle. Which is why I was invited by my friend and End-of-Life colleague Gail...
It really isn't hard thinking about what you want. What makes you smile? What makes you happy? What's important to you? If you remember anything, let it be this. For your very own goodbye party, you don't have to do:• what's always been done• what is expected• what...
Death… it’s always near.
There's a promising new resource in the End-of-Life world! As featured in the article Boom Time for Death Planning in The New York Times on July 16, 2020, it's called Near. Explaining the name, they say ”While others may move away from the conversation and...
Does it make you smile?
Saying Goodbye as an activity
Forget what you know about funerals. If there were no normal funeral custom already existing, and a beloved person in your life died, what would you rather do—Roll up your sleeves and do something in their honor, or go sit in some chairs somewhere, following awkward,...