CELLPHONES AT FUNERALS

Attending a funeral, especially for first-timers, can be tricky. Many people worry over whether they are wearing the right clothes or saying the right things, but there’s also another issue that needs addressing. Cellphones are everywhere, so it’d be silly to assume that people would leave them at home when attending a funeral service. If you are going to be attending a funeral in the near future and would like to learn more about what you should or shouldn’t do while having it on you, read on! Our funeral homes in Bethpage, TN are always open and willing to help all who walk through our doors!

Put It Away

When attending a funeral service, one of the first rules to follow and keep in mind is to put your cellphone away. While it can be tempting to check your email or reply to an unread message, it simply is not a good look. If you want to remain as respectful and considerate as possible, the easiest way to do so is to ditch your cellphone altogether. We suggest placing it somewhere out of view like in either a bag, purse or even a pocket. Before putting the phone away, however, you’ll also want to be sure to switch it to either silent mode or to vibrate. If you want to avoid being that person whose phone dings or starts ringing in the middle of the service, then follow these simple suggestions! Additionally, it goes without saying that taking photographs or videos is completely out of the question. Not only can this be viewed as disrespectful, especially to the immediate family, but it is also just in poor taste. Remember, funeral services are typically a moment that most people would rather not reminisce about so the idea of taking a picture or video can seem strange to many.

Keep It Discreet

If you absolutely must use your phone at some point during the service, it’s important that you do so as discreetly as possible. This means that you should absolutely avoid taking out the phone while you are still seated at the service. Instead, excuse yourself while using the side aisle, and find a hallway or somewhere outside of the service before taking out your phone. Additionally, there is a big difference between putting your phone on silent and vibrate. While both are effective at silencing ring tones, the vibrate function can easily be heard, especially in moments of prolonged silences. To avoid causing any embarrassing distractions from a vibrating phone, we suggest sticking to silent.

Avoid Pictures

Again, taking any photos or videos at a funeral service is a huge no-no. If you absolutely must take photographs or videos for some reason, we suggest speaking with the immediate family ahead of time to confirm whether this is okay or not. If they give you the okay, we still recommend saving the photos and videos for when you are somewhere outside of the service. 

If you’re interested, come learn more about our funeral homes in Bethpage, TN!