Can this be true? Some places are now holding "casket-less wakes?"

I heard a woman on the radio say she attended such a wake.

The deceased is not in a box of any sort but is viewed sitting in a favorite position such as a woman on the couch reading a book or a man in a lounge chair watching the tv - with the tv on. Sort of like a tableau of olden days.

Is this a joke or urban myth? Seems crazy to me but I've heard that wakes have gotten rather unorthodox lately with heavy metal music, etc.

bwahahahaha

i do think that back in the day poor folks just laid out on the table. at least i believe irish wakes were that way.

Old news. Not even interesting any more.

in an easy chair, wearing his steelers sweatsuit, beer and remote control in hand....

was propped up so he was standing.

He never wanted anyone looking down on him in life so he didn't want them looking down on him in death (or at least at his wake, since he was buried in the ground).

was not posed but he also was not in a box. Just lying on his side on a table. Which I guess may have been his favorite position.

I don't want burial, I don't want cremation. I want my body sent to the taxidermist!

memorial get together instead of a funeral, certainly no mummified body on display, not even an urn of ashes.
Although I'd kind of like to have my Les Paul Special go with me.......


mark

...in the "parlor." There was also a practice in the old days of taking pictures of the dead bodies lying in state in somewhat natural positions in the home parlor.

Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox
Joe Diffie

Well I ain't afraid of die'n,It's the though of being dead
I wanna go on being me once my eulogys been read
Don't spread my ashes out to sea, don't lay me down to rest
You can put my mind to ease if you fill my last request

Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die
Lord I wanna go to heaven but I don't wanna go tonight
Fill my boots up with sand, put a stiff drink in my hand
prop me up beside the jukebox when I die

Just make your next selection and while your still in line
You can pay you last respects one quarter at a time

Prop me up beside the jukebox when I die
Lord I wanna go to heaven but I don't wanna go tonight
fill my boots up with sand put a stiff drink in my hand
prop me up beside the jukebox when I die

Oh prop me up beside the jukebox when I die


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-BLYacRq0Q

in the 1800's it was memento mori. this must be a new spin on an old idea.

although, i can't imagine anything about funerals that isn't creepy, since they're merely a social construct for the living and make no difference whatsoever to the deceased.