Funeral travel
Photo: Office of Joyce Beatty, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Funerals are a significant source of last-minute travel plans. Memorial services are often scheduled at a later date, after cremation or burial. Some traditions have multiple events, such as a burial on the third day and additional religious ceremonies on the ninth and 40th days in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. If the deceased is cremated, there may be a separate event for the burial or scattering the ashes.
Both the travellers and the visited guests can be affected by grief, as well as the practical burdens of a funeral and caretaking of the estate. Those who are further from the deceased are usually in better condition to plan and execute the journey, or to receive the guests. For example, it may be easier for a cousin to receive guests than the widow, or for a daughter-in-law to plan the trip than the son.
Another complicating factor with funeral travel is that your travel budget may be more limited than you could wish. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to make multiple trips over the space of weeks or months, which can reduce the amount of money you can afford to spend on each trip.
Get inTravelling for a funeral or memorial service often involves planning a long-distance trip on short notice. If the event is not within reasonable driving distance, then most people will need to travel by air or train.
StayThe family home, a hotel, or a last-minute group house rental? It depends partly on whether you think that you'll want more space to yourself, or if you will be comforted by being surrounded by other people.
RespectIn most of the world, people attending funerals are expected to wear dark, relatively formal clothing, such as a black or dark-colored business suit. Clothing, shoes and jewelry should generally be plain.
AlternativesWhen people are unable to travel for a funeral, there are ways of helping them feel included. One is to videotape or livestream the services, so that they can participate remotely.
CopeIf you have the time and energy, a funeral could be combined with a more light-hearted activity, such as a tour of the destination.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Funeral travel" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Office of Joyce Beatty, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons