Because of the global pandemic, people all across the world have had to cancel, reschedule, or change key life events in order to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Aside from restricting social events, the epidemic has raised travel restrictions for plane and bus travel, making it impossible for friends and relatives to attend the virtual funeral ceremony. As a result of these constraints, many people have turned to the celebration of life online to honor their loved ones.
It is now feasible to organize a virtual funeral ceremony or online memorial service that is as meaningful as any other form of service, thanks to advances in technology and social media.
Underneath, I’ve compiled a detailed guide about conducting a Virtual Funeral Ceremony.
Social Distancing:
Recent events, such as the COVID-19 epidemic, have altered how individuals can congregate. When your friends and family gather for a large funeral or life celebration, it can be difficult to maintain social distance. Rather than requiring everyone to wear masks and keep 6 feet apart, why not change your funeral plans to accommodate the new normal? Virtual funeral services allow loved ones to participate at their own pace, with funeral streaming services available from home.
Traveling Long Distances:
Even in less chaotic times, when family and friends are scattered across the country, it might be difficult to provide adequate time for people to travel to the funeral.
Not only must one love one schedule time away from work, but last-minute travel can be costly. Reduce the stress on your family by allowing them to join in the service from anywhere via virtual funeral services.
Uploads on the Same-Day
One concern that some individuals have about virtual viewing funeral services is that they will miss out. While the virtual viewing may not be real-time, it is frequently uploaded within hours. You will still be able to grieve for your loved one on the same day as the in-person funeral services.
Memorial Services on the Internet Allow You to Host an Unlimited Number of Attendees
Consider the preceding scenario ten times over. People enjoy connecting with one another. And we’ve all heard it before: wonderful new relationships emerge from devastating loss.
The issue is that there is no nearby structure large enough to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend an in-person funeral. That is why, tragically, it is a logistical relief when many people are unable to travel to be present. In fact, funeral planners rely on this to keep crowds under control.
But what if everyone was able to attend? Every option is available for virtual memorial services. There is literally no limit to the number of people who can attend without a physical venue (and physical bodies using that space).
Tips About Conducting a Virtual Funeral Ceremony
Set a Time and Date for The Virtual Memorial Service
You should not be concerned, as with any funeral ceremony, with accommodating everyone’s schedules. Because several of our direct family members work in hospitals, offices, and other job locations, so make every effort to accommodate their shifts as first responders. Everyone else is in isolation and, hopefully, will be remaining at home, so set a day and time that works for the close family and don’t worry about everyone else. Celebration of life online is convenient for everybody.
If at all feasible, plan the memorial service at least 3-to 5 days ahead of time to provide yourself enough time to put things together.
Celebrate With Passion
Even, when you are having a funeral online, you should celebrate it with passion. You should also suggest others celebrate the funeral of your loved one with passion. To do so, you can bring something which they used to like. For example, bring their favorite shirt, have a virtual dinner of their favorite food, bring candles during the ceremony. It is better if you add slides to your virtual funeral. These lights can have last footage of the deceased, best pictures of their lives, pictures of their loved ones, and pictures with their family. A slideshow with personal music will be an even better idea. It is all about how passionate you would make your ceremony.
Customize the service
There are no hard and fast regulations for the program. “My sole rule is that it should be a reflection of the individual being honored,” says Anne Murphy, a lifecycle celebrant in Saint Paul, Minnesota. “By the end of the ceremony, you should have a decent picture of how they lived and how they touched our lives.” It can seem really empty if you don’t.”
Collect memories, tales, and mementos from family and friends, such as photos and letters. Murphy proposes creating a shared online document that everyone involved in the service may view and comment on ahead of time so that everyone is on the same page about what is to be shared.
Recruit Someone
You should ask ahead of time who would like to share tales, songs, and so on during the memorial, and create a schedule so that everyone knows whose turn it is to speak next. Of course, after you’ve gone over this initial list, more guests should be encouraged to share their stories.
You, or someone else pre-designated by you, should serve as emcee or moderator. You will begin the memorial event by greeting everyone and outlining a few ground rules for a virtual memorial.
Only One Person Can Speak at a Time.
After you’ve gone through the initial list, people can “raise their hand” or write in the “talk” function that they’d like to participate. Everybody would give proper attention when one person is peaking at a time. They will be given proper time to convey their feelings. This will allow everybody to participate and share something they will miss about the person.
Bottom Line:
In conclusion, we can say that “Zoom funerals” and other internet memorials have become the norm during the pandemic. Many experts believe they will be around even after we “return to normal”. This is to assist those who are unable to travel or attend in-person activities. Virtual funerals are convenient and will become a part of our memory forever.