Yeah, funeral customs are weird. The ones we've been to in recent years, the church has done a meal for the family. For Papa it was after the graveside service. For wife's uncle it was before.
Granted, they have a HUGH family. Papa was the oldest of nine. But still there were lots of friends and acquaintances that we didn't get to visit with.
I used to care about my funeral. I don't really anymore. Just want the wife and boys to do what they think they need to say goodbye. And, I've decided that I want to be cremated.
Why? Because everytime I go home and can't (or don't) stop at the cemetary at my Dad's grave, I feel pangs of guilt. Even after 26 years.
I don't want my boys to have to worry about that. It's not like my Dad is there. But I feel like I'm ignoring him if I don't stop.
SSQ and I haven't discussed what we'd do if either of us died up here in the frozen north, or where we'd want to be buried. I guess it's something we don't really want to discuss; it'll come up in it's own time.
Sorry for the morbid conversation. It's just something I thought about when you mentioned your friend's funeral.