Whimsical Funeral Themes: Too Far?
Funeral planning is not immune to the power of popular culture. Although this industry is one that has a tendency to adopt change at a slower pace, technology has made it easier to incorporate thing like webcasts, memorial websites, and QR codes on headstones into your funeral plans. For some people, these types of things are part of the ever-changing world in which we live; for others, they’re too much of a departure from tradition to be a comfortable funeral planning choice.
Of course, today’s funeral innovations go beyond computers and technology. One of the most recent images to hit the newsstands is of a casket that takes advantage of the favorite pop culture item of 2011/2012: bacon. That’s right. A bacon casket.
The Decorative Casket Phenomenon
As a basic idea, decorative caskets like this are nothing new. Many people select ornate coffins as a way to provide an elegant and unique touch to a funeral, or to show just how much they care about the deceased. In fact, you can select caskets made from hardwoods, heavy metals, or even biodegradable cardboard—whatever fits in your vision and your lifestyle is acceptable.
Some casket manufacturers have taken this idea one step further, and you can buy “themed” caskets. Some of the more popular ones include Harley Davidson caskets and sports team caskets, though if you’re willing to pay upfront and plan well in advance, you can order just about anything.
These types of caskets can be rolled into a themed funeral for even more personalization. This can make sense if, for example, the deceased was an avid motorcycle rider and expressly wished to have his or her final celebration incorporate elements of this lifestyle.
When Funeral Themes Might Not Be Appropriate
While chances are the bacon casket is meant to be considered more of a practical joke or novelty item than an actual method of burial, many people find this kind of humor to be in bad taste. After all, if the deceased lost his or her life to heart-related disease (which could possibly be attributed to a love of bacon), poking fun at death like this could be really offensive.
In addition, when you adopt this and other themed caskets, you also run the risk of detracting from the real message of the funeral. Depending on your religion, you might also be running the risk of offending religious officials or other attendees.
Unless the deceased made advance funeral plans that incorporated or clearly outlined a wish for a bacon casket (or any other theme), it’s probably not a good idea to make this kind of decision on your own. There is too great a risk of offending other people—and this kind of choice, once put into effect, can never be taken back.
Please share your thoughts on this article
Related articles
Funeral Card Etiquette
One of the simplest (and kindest) things you can send after the death of a friend or relative is a condolence card. This low-cost gesture show that you care and also provides the family with a keepsake memory of their loved one. Whether you write... more »
DNA Artwork: A Unique Memorial Gift
Giving a memorial gift is a great way to show a loved one how much you care about their loss and the difficulties they’ll undergo in the months ahead. In addition to things like funeral flowers, people often choose pretty mementos like engraved pla... more »
The United States National Cemetery Administration
iMortuary.com Blog Editors sincerely thank James Flanagan, Program Manager for the Presidential Memorial Certificate Program in the National Cemetery Administration, for his additions and early corrections to this article. His full comments are inc... more »
