How Living Funerals Are Changing How We Honour Life

In a remarkable shift from traditional end-of-life celebrations, more people are choosing to attend their own funerals through “Living Funerals” – meaningful ceremonies that celebrate life’s achievements and connections while the guest of honour is present to participate.

This growing trend, already popular in the US and Japan, reflects our society’s evolving approach to discussing death openly while embracing life’s precious moments. These ceremonies offer a unique opportunity to share stories, express gratitude, and create lasting memories with loved ones in a deeply personal and meaningful way.

Funeral Celebrant Jo Olson Clarke shares how Living Funerals are changing how we honour life

Why are more and more people attending their own funeral?

The trend towards ‘Living Funerals’ speaks to our growing willingness to talk openly about death. One celebrant gives her advice and support for those of us looking to move away from tradition and actually attend our own funeral to celebrate our own life and achievements where death is no longer a prerequisite!

Breaking Away from Tradition

Over the last few years, both celebrants and funeral directors have seen more people moving away from traditional religious ceremonies towards the unconventional, with funerals and memorial ceremonies conducted in woods, on beaches, in gardens and other more unconventional places.

Read more: How to plan your own living funeral

Choosing Simplicity: Direct Cremations and Simplicity Funerals

Often, individuals choose a lower-cost option such as direct cremation or what is called by many funeral directors a “simple” funeral, which does not include a service.

Many people choose one of these options not just for cost, but perhaps because they don’t wish their loved ones to have the stress of arranging a service and having to pick music, poetry or readings.

Others are choosing the simple route due to family rifts, where there is animosity and having to arrange matters or choose options such as music, readings etc might cause even more discord among the family.

A living funeral gives people the chance to say their goodbyes whilst you’re still here and provides a sense of closure for family and friends when you’re gone.

Celebrating Life While Living: The Rise of Living Funerals

“Living Funerals” are a way to celebrate someone’s life while they are still around – even death is no longer a prerequisite.  These “Celebration of Life Events”  are already common in the US and Japan (seizenso) and it seems that more people in the UK are now opting to have an event of this kind. They can vary considerably in format depending on the wishes of the individuals.

Heartfelt Moments: Personal Stories from Living Funerals

The first time I hosted one of these events, the terminally ill person chose to speak about their life and who affected it and this was followed by a number of the guests saying a few words or recounting stories and others reading a poem.

A recent themed event that I hosted was “A pie and a pint”, and this was with a terminally ill gentleman who had chosen a village hall which was set up with tables for his guests to be seated at, and there was a buffet table with his favourite beer and pies.
He had decided that he wanted to visit each of the tables in turn so that the guests could regale him with a funny story from their friendship or a memory of how they met and became friends.

Another event that I hosted involved an “Afternoon Tea” for a lady in a similar situation where the lady wished to have family and friends reading some of her favourite poetry and a few readings from her favourite books.

Living funerals tend to involve a few tears, but lots of laughter and in general tend to be an uplifting experience.

Why are Living Funerals becoming popular?

Living Funerals or Celebration of Life Events tend to take place towards the end of a person’s life but whilst they are still well enough to participate in an event to honour them. Occasionally however, someone might choose to have one of these celebration of life events for a different reason.

Recently I did one of these events for a lovely lady living with dementia who wanted to have a gathering of all her friends before she began to cease recognising them or remembering their names.
It was a lovely “brunch style” gathering with family and friends in her garden and everyone was asked to bring a poem to read. Although there were a few tears, it was a really lovely event with lots of reminiscing and loads of laughter. All in all, it was a wonderful and uplifting  experience and the lady in question was really pleased that she had decided to do it and thanked me profusely for facilitating it for her.

Photographer Credit: Roshini McCartin

Jo’s Top Tips For Planning Your Living Funeral

Consider these elements when planning your celebration:

• Choose a meaningful venue that reflects your personality
• Decide on a theme that represents your interests
• Plan activities that encourage sharing and connection
• Include elements that hold special significance
• Consider how to involve friends and family

Of course, choosing a celebrant to help you plan your living funeral means you’ve got a professional in your corner to help you with everything from ceremony run order, suggestions for your day, readings and music and wording for invites.

Jo says “I consider it a privilege and an honour to officiate one of these events and I make sure I go the extra mile to ensure it will be a successful and uplifting experience for everyone involved.”

Meet Jo Olson Clark: Your Guide Through Life’s Celebrations

As a Professional Independent Funeral Celebrant serving North Kent & South London, Jo Olson Clark of Celebration of Life Ceremonies brings warmth, understanding, and extensive experience to every living funeral she conducts. A proud member of The Fellowship of Independent Celebrants, Jo specialises in creating bespoke ceremonies that truly reflect each individual’s journey and wishes.

With her motto “Your Voice, Your Choice, Your Ceremony,” Jo has established herself as a leading voice in the evolution of living funerals. Her approach is uniquely flexible, incorporating as much or as little religious content as desired, and seamlessly blending different faiths and cultures when appropriate. Her expertise extends beyond traditional services to include living funerals, eco-burials, memorial services, and ash-scattering ceremonies.

What sets Jo apart is her dedication to making a real difference in people’s lives during significant moments. Her commitment to going the extra mile ensures that each ceremony provides comfort and creates positive, lasting impressions for all involved.

Ready to Plan Your Own Living Funeral

Every life story deserves to be celebrated in its own unique way. Whether you’re considering a living funeral for yourself or a loved one, an independent celebrant can help bring your vision to life. These celebrations offer the opportunity to:

• Share precious moments with loved ones
• Create lasting memories together
• Express gratitude and love in person
• Celebrate life’s achievements and connections
• Leave a positive lasting impression

Ready to plan your own celebration of life? The Celebrant Directory features experienced celebrants like Jo who specialise in creating meaningful living funerals that celebrate life’s journey while we’re here to enjoy it. Find your perfect celebrant today.