The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

Funeral Etiquette for Immediate Family: Roles, Procession Order, and What to Do at the Service

Funeral Etiquette for Immediate Family: Roles, Procession Order, and What to Do at the Service

When you are immediate family, funeral etiquette can feel less like “manners” and more like a new job you did not apply for. You may be grieving, coordinating details, and...

The History of Memorial Candles: From Ancient Rituals to Yahrzeit and Modern Remembrance Traditions

The History of Memorial Candles: From Ancient Rituals to Yahrzeit and Modern Remembrance Traditions

There is a reason candlelight still shows up in the hardest rooms of our lives. A flame is small, but it changes the feeling of a space immediately. It softens...

Why Do People Light Candles for the Deceased? Meaning, Comfort, and a Simple At-Home Practice

Why Do People Light Candles for the Deceased? Meaning, Comfort, and a Simple At-Home Practice

People usually start searching why do people light candles for the deceased at a very specific moment: the house is quiet, the day is heavy, and you want to do...

Lighting a Candle for the Dead: Meaning, Traditions, and a Simple Remembrance Ritual at Home

Lighting a Candle for the Dead: Meaning, Traditions, and a Simple Remembrance Ritual at Home

When someone dies, the world doesn’t only change in the big ways. It changes in the small ones, too. The chair stays empty. The phone stays quiet. A song comes...

Japanese Funeral Traditions Explained: Cremation, Kotsuage, Etiquette, and What to Expect

Japanese Funeral Traditions Explained: Cremation, Kotsuage, Etiquette, and What to Expect

If you have been invited to a Japanese funeral, or you are supporting someone whose family follows Japanese customs, it is completely normal to feel unsure about what will happen...

Lighting a Candle in Memory: Meaning, Traditions, and How to Create a Safe Home Ritual

Lighting a Candle in Memory: Meaning, Traditions, and How to Create a Safe Home Ritual

There are moments in grief when words feel too heavy, phone calls feel too complicated, and even well-meant support can land at the wrong time. That’s one reason lighting a...

What Color Tie to Wear to a Funeral: Easy Rules for Men’s Funeral Tie Etiquette

What Color Tie to Wear to a Funeral: Easy Rules for Men’s Funeral Tie Etiquette

If you’re asking what color tie to wear to a funeral, you’re usually trying to solve a very practical problem: how to look respectful without overthinking it. Most men aren’t...

What to Wear to a Funeral or Memorial Service: Modern Dress Code, Colors & Etiquette

What to Wear to a Funeral or Memorial Service: Modern Dress Code, Colors & Etiquette

If you’re wondering what to wear to a funeral, you’re usually trying to do something very human: show up respectfully without making the day harder for anyone. Most people aren’t...

What to Wear to a Catholic Funeral: Modesty Guidelines, Colors, and Outfit Examples

What to Wear to a Catholic Funeral: Modesty Guidelines, Colors, and Outfit Examples

If you’re searching what to wear to a catholic funeral, you’re probably trying to solve two problems at once. You want to show respect, and you also don’t want to...

Men’s Funeral Attire Guide: Suits, Shirts, Ties, and What to Wear If You Don’t Own a Suit

Men’s Funeral Attire Guide: Suits, Shirts, Ties, and What to Wear If You Don’t Own a Suit

If you’re standing in front of your closet wondering what to wear to a funeral men, you’re not alone. Most people don’t attend enough services to build an intuitive “funeral...

Lighting a Candle in Memory of Someone: Symbolism Across Traditions and Simple Remembrance Ritual Ideas

Lighting a Candle in Memory of Someone: Symbolism Across Traditions and Simple Remembrance Ritual Ideas

There are moments in grief when words feel too complicated, too public, or simply too far away. In those moments, lighting a candle in memory can feel like the simplest...

Funeral Guest Books: What to Choose, What to Write, and Digital Alternatives That Actually Work

Funeral Guest Books: What to Choose, What to Write, and Digital Alternatives That Actually Work

A funeral guest book is one of the few items at a service that quietly keeps working after everyone goes home. In the moment, it feels simple: a table near...

Candlelight Vigils and Remembrance Candles: Planning a Meaningful (and Safe) Tribute

Candlelight Vigils and Remembrance Candles: Planning a Meaningful (and Safe) Tribute

A candlelight vigil is one of those rare gatherings that can hold a lot of emotion without asking anyone to perform it. People arrive carrying their own version of grief,...

Why We Light Prayer Candles for the Dead: Catholic Traditions and Modern Memorial Ideas

Why We Light Prayer Candles for the Dead: Catholic Traditions and Modern Memorial Ideas

If you’ve ever stepped into a quiet Catholic church on an ordinary weekday, you’ve probably seen it: a small rack of flickering flames, each one lit by someone who didn’t...

Prayer & Memorial Candles: Meaning, Traditions, and How to Light Them Safely

Prayer & Memorial Candles: Meaning, Traditions, and How to Light Them Safely

There’s a reason a candle feels like the right shape for grief. In a week when your brain can’t hold logistics for more than a few minutes at a time,...

Why We Light Candles in Memory of the Dead: Symbolism, Traditions, and Memorial Ideas

Why We Light Candles in Memory of the Dead: Symbolism, Traditions, and Memorial Ideas

There’s a moment many families recognize—sometimes in the hours after a death, sometimes weeks later—when the house goes quiet and your mind keeps reaching for something small and steady to...