<p>I was watching Hollywood game night and the “regular person” contestant was a “pre-need” funeral saleswoman. The hostess asked her the latest trend in funerals and she said that rather than having the deceased in a casket, the latest trend was to have them doing a favorite activity - like sitting at the piano.</p>
<p>As someone who does not even like the open casket thing (hate it and will haunt my family in most unpleasant ways if they even think of displaying my dead body at my funeral), I was quite horrified at the thought (a little amused at the concept but horrified at the thought of it actually being carried out). Anyone heard of this?</p>
<p>I remember reading in the LA Times that a woman who was divorced was buried in a mink coat behind the wheel of her Maserati. I believe that her husband was looking for/entitled to the Maserati in case of her death.</p>
<p>The funeral lady won and when Jane Lynch asked her what she would do with $25,000 if she won it, she said probably roll around in it naked. Jane Lynch quickly responded “that could be your funeral activity” (or words to that effect).</p>
<p>I know that people are frequently buried with their beloved items. I saw an open casket with a guy who was going to be buried with his Yankees’ cap. It reminds me of the ancient Egyptians burying their pharaohs with the stuff they’ll need in the next world.</p>
<p>There is a house outside of town here that has a mausoleum with the guy’s son in his car. The son was killed in car accident and that car is inside of the thing! Rumor is that the house was in the process or has been foreclosed on by the bank! Not sure what is going to happen there…</p>
<p>From post 6–Joe Diffie song–Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die, Lord I wanna go to heaven but I don’t want to go tonight. Fill my boots up with sand, put a stiff drink in my hand… and a bit later…pay your respects one quarter at a time…just remember I like blondes… Great song!
I think it makes a better country drinking song than any reality.</p>
<p>This kind of thing strikes me as the kind of stuff people say on tv to try to persuade the gullible that “everyone” is doing it and that you are a slacker if you don’t shell out the $$ to do it too.</p>
<p>I can’t think of anything I’d want to be posed doing for the rest of eternity. And heaven forbid the family gets to decide…not that I guess I’d care much by that time…
But no propping BY the piano–I wanna be ON it!</p>
<p>When my friend’s grandfather died his biker friends took him for one last ride on the back of a motorcycle. The funeral director tried to protest but they took him at the end of visitations. The family thought is was funny, though.</p>
<p>About 7 or 8 years ago, the trend was to have a “theme” relating to the person’s life - NASCAR, cooking, sports, fishing etc. I guess this is the inevitable next step.</p>
<p>I’m also creeped out by those tombstones with the little video player inside that senses when a mourner is visiting the grave, and up pops a video of the dearly departed chatting away.</p>
<p>A couple of years ago I saw a picture of a deceased young man propped up in a chair( visitation) It was creepy and apparently it is popular in some cultural circles.</p>
I supposed I would be posed at my computer, posting to CC!</p>