Taking Funeral Flowers home?

[DollyParsnip]

Is this becoming a Thing now?

Sadly, I've had reason to go to two cremations recently and at both the flowers were taken from the crematorium back to the relative's house and displayed at the wake. Both funerals were for elderly people and many Miles apart (so not a 'local' tread).

It was really lovely and obviously less of a waste than leaving the flowers behind to rot, but it still felt a bit unexpected.

Is it that we're becoming less superstitious about funerals and flowers, or maybe more aware of the financial costs of them? Or is it just a nice thing to do at a really sad time?

Seems like a perfectly sensible thing to do and I know if I was the deceased then I would approve.

Yes! I agree, it's a lovely thing to do but it struck me that I've only recently known this happen. At such a sad time having beautiful flowers around remembering your loved one must be a comfort.

Well they would be left on the grave so if there’s no grave not sure where they’d go? I’ve actually only every been at ones that had family flowers only, so there weren’t an excess of them and no desire for others to check they’d arrived/displayed nicely etc. Flowers were of no comfort at all to me any time I’ve been bereaved, though the good wishes of people who sent them where.

Wish I had taken my partner's flowers -
next time I went to the crematorium and had a wander round the gardens I saw a skip half full of rotting flowers.

Its been a thing for years. I've been a florist for 30 years and we are often asked to redeliver the funeral flowers to the house or a local nursing home.

We had family flowers only for my DM's funeral so only 3 sets of flowers. We left one on the grave, took one home, and took the third to her care home. I think it's a nice thing to do. Less wasteful

It's been going on since at least the 80s where I live (north west)

My grandmother died last year. She wanted (and had) a small, personal but no frills cremation. My daughter and I were very close to her, and the floral tribute we had made was very unusual and had a bit of a hidden message in it (only very close family would have got the link). My daughter (7) got very upset about leaving the flowers behind at the wake, so my mum and aunt sent me back to the crematorium for them, plus 3 roses from the coffin spray to be dried (1 for each of Nan’s daughters). Me tiptoeing out of the crematorium with them would have made my grandmother laugh, and the peace they brought my daughter over the next week or so made it feel absolutely right.

I did after my mum's funeral. It was family flowers only and they were beautiful and I didn't want them sitting at the Crem wilting in the heat.

In fact I think seeing the flowers from the last funeral looking sad was what made my mind up when the FD asked if we wanted to bring them home.

Also they were sprays and sheaves (sheafs?) rather than wreaths so a bit less funereal.

Not something I've experienced but most funerals in recent times have involved very few flowers with donations in lieu. Personally I detest funeral flowers and always think they will soon mirror death as they wilt and shrivel.

That’s part of what helped DD actually.

Only came across it recently. It was the florist who suggested it, as the crem skip the flowers at the end of the day.

They were laid out on another family members grave.

I'm not sure how I'd feel about them going to the wake or nursing home. Nursing home is a bit like who's turns next.
My wedding flowers that were left in the church made their way to a nursing home (after the Sunday services) and don't have an issue with them, but I wouldn't send funeral flowers.

When my Great Auntie was cremated they took the flowers and gave them to the local hospice afterwards.

I’d be interested to hear from someone who works in a care home, whether they or their residents appreciate donated funeral flowers.

I work in a nursing home. Occasionally we get people bring the flowers from a funeral (deceased residents and also from people who happen to live nearby and for their own reasons would rather donate them), our residents love it.
Sometimes the activities co-ordinator will take them big long displays apart and our residents then use the flowers for flower arranging. Sometimes they split the flowers and put them in vases on the dining tables.

*them big
Was meant to be THE big

It is traditional in our area to distribute the flowers to the deceased's relatives. After the viewing, the funeral service, and the graveside service, only the wreathes and the casket blanket are left on the grave. Potted plants, cut flowers, sprays, etc. are taken home by family members. My mother planted a pot of chrysanthemums that were sent to my brothers' funeral. When she moved house, she dug them up and replanted them at her new place. When she died, I dug them up and moved them to my yard. They are a living memorial to my brother.

My dsis works at the local Crem. It always saddens her how much money is thrown away each week in floral tributes, they just don’t have the space to keep them any longer. I know she would gladly see the flowers Re distributed as the family wishes.

The undertakers asked us if we wanted to leave the flowers, take the home or give them to the Undertakers to put in the Chapel odd Rest. As we had specified ‘No Flowers’ we asked the undertakers to use them.
I am afraid it really annoyed the 2 sets of Mourners who sent flowers.

It was really odd, as the Undertakers heard. them and asked us if we should give them back to the mourners.

We took the flowers home from DGM funeral. Seemed a waste otherwise. Nobody commented on it.

Sometimes the activities co-ordinator will take them big long displays apart and our residents then use the flowers for flower arranging. Sometimes they split the flowers and put them in vases on the dining tables

Pinkstar I never thought about them reusing the flowers in a completely different way. But long displays do shout funeral.