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Original poster

Have you ever had a fit of the giggles when at a funeral?

61 replies

Mileysmiley · 13/08/2019 15:01

I was talking with a friend about this today .... a few years ago someone I knew lost their husband. We had been to the church and had returned to her house for the wake. I went into the kitchen to make some coffee and picked up a jar out of the cupboard. After boiling the kettle I put a heaped spoonful of coffee into two mugs and added boiling water and milk. We both took a big slurp and nearly spat it out ... what the f*ck is this? I had accidentally picked out a coffee jar that had paprika in it instead of instant coffee (why?). We then collapsed laughing about it when in walks the mum of the dearly departed husband. She looked at us in horror ..... we couldn't explain why we laughing uncontrollably and she just walked out in a huff. Just thinking about it now makes me laugh now.

OP posts:

moonpiggle · 13/08/2019 21:39

@Noblerot thats brilliant 😂😂😂

Camomila · 13/08/2019 22:15

I did while I was delivering my nonnas eulogy. I couldn't get the microphone to work and DM was shouting instructions at me from her seat, then some more people did, and eventally my DM had to come and help me with it.

I think my nonna appreciated it, she always used to wheel little me out to tell a joke or sing a nursery rhyme at her old peoples church club.
My performance remained consistant to my younger ones (ie funny but not on purpose)

midsomermurderess · 13/08/2019 22:21

It was a memorial service. Some chap whom the deceased didn't even like had written a song which had lines like 'he climbed up mountains, he skied down hills'. I caught someone's eye and we were both off. Mortifying uncontrollable giggles.

twirlypoo · 13/08/2019 22:24

Not at a funeral, but going to collect my very much adored dad’s death certificate with my brothers. It was just such a bizarre situation that we got the giggles, and as soon as one of us got our composure the other ones would lose it. The registrar said it was the first time she had ever had to hand out tissues for laughter, which made us worse. Bizarrely, it makes me want to cry thinking of it as we were so utterly devestated. Emotions are weird!

eyeswideshit · 13/08/2019 22:25

I'm sad no-one has mentioned the giggle-loop. It is a well known problem in all situations when you shouldn't laugh!

DeltaFlyer · 13/08/2019 22:35

Not the funeral but we went to see my grandma in the chapel of rest at the undertakers.
It was so quiet and my dad started to cry and as he did he snorted really loud like a pig.
I couldn't help myself and got the chuckles. Luckily I managed to fake it into a bewailing sob before anyone else noticed.
Still makes me laugh now

Ginger1982 · 13/08/2019 22:37

I was asked to take a cord at a relative's burial. I'd never done it before and was worried I'd do something wrong so was pretty anxious about it. All I could think about was how it could end up as some Only Fools and Horses type sketch where the coffin tipped over and the body fell out. As I walked forwards to take my cord I was literally red faced trying to contain my laughter.

Fortunately nothing bad happened!

Flamingo84 · 13/08/2019 22:38

@FrenchFancie the giggle loop!! DH and I still use this reference

At an elderly relatives funeral the person doing the eulogy kept referring to Emily as Auntie Em which just kept making me think of The Wizard of Oz. It wasn’t just said once either, every sentence started Auntie Em. DM and I shared a look that dared the other not to break!

On the way out of a cemetery we were supposed to be following my brothers car to the pub but he shot off at 90mph without waitin. So we followed some other relatives reasoning that we’d all be going to the same place. As we drove around the cemetery for a fair while they pulled over so we paused. They got out and looked at us strangely, turned out they were visiting another grave. Felt a bit like being in an episode of Only Fools and Horses

SundayShawl · 13/08/2019 22:50

My great aunt's funeral - full Catholic funeral mass. We get to a hymn about half way through and there's the priest at the front booming like a fog horn, a lady in the choir loft trying to reach heaven vocally and my dad in my left ear completely off key.

I got the giggles and couldn't stop. Poor mum was holding my hand with her nails dug into my palm trying to get me stop and it just made it worse

LBOCS2 · 13/08/2019 23:02

Oh yes. DSis and I were waiting to follow in our beloved grandmother's coffin to the church, when we spotted the nameplate on it. She had a middle name that none of us knew about and was, frankly, ridiculous.

Obviously we thought it was HILARIOUS. And it was hilarious all the way into the church, and through most of the service. I had hair I could shake over my face, my sister had hers back in quite a severe bun so couldn't hide hers.

It still makes me laugh!

3boysandabump · 13/08/2019 23:13

At my dads funeral my 3 year old turned to me and went 'God this song is rubbish'

It had taken me and my siblings ages to choose just the right music. I couldn't help it I started doing that silent laugh that has your whole body shaking.

I think the people behind probably thought I was overcome by grief.

My dad would have seen the funny side too

Milomonster · 13/08/2019 23:17

Such a lovely thread - in hysterics reading some these.

Fatted · 13/08/2019 23:23

If you can't laugh in the face of death, when can you laugh?! I've just sat here hysterical at some of these.

I wasn't alive when this happened, but apparently my DF's DF ended up in the wrong plot in the cemetery.

midsomermurderess · 14/08/2019 01:05

My sister and I had to choose a a coffin for my mother, and a wreath, and the man at the funeral place was so weirdly, creepily oleaginous singing the praises of brass handles and upholstered interiors. It was smirksome. They he moved into wreaths and the trouble started, huge vulgar things, one in the shape of `'MUM'. My sister said, oh no, not that, she'd turn in her grave. We were hysterical. I think the chap was used to it.

Original poster

Mileysmiley · 14/08/2019 02:35

This is not a funeral story but a wedding one. At my church wedding the vicar called my husband to be Kevin. In annoyance he whispered my names John not Kevin! The vicar apologised and said "It's because I buried a Kevin yesterday" That did it I started to laugh so hard the chief bridesmaid had to hand me a tissue to dry my eyes.

OP posts:

TheNestedIf · 14/08/2019 02:52

My Father has, when he takes the mood, a rather dry sense of humour. He is also on the autistic spectrum and it is not unusual to hear the whoosh of social convention as it passes over his head.

I am, to this day, genuinely not sure whether this was intended to be funny or not.

My Grandmother (Mother's Mother) had passed away. The funeral procession was due to start from a small village. It was due to end in the city crematorium. The city crematorium was over 10 miles away.

We all piled into one of the funeral vehicles. The undertaker and assistants took position at the front of the procession and began to respectfully and slowly pace.

It was at this point that my Father chose to pipe up "Are they going to do that the whole way?"

Hopefully, anyone paying their respects mistook my tears, snot and heaving shoulders for grief.

RonaldMcDonald · 14/08/2019 03:05

Yes but as I’m Irish it is alsmost positively encouraged

TheNestedIf · 14/08/2019 03:06

Oh, and if that didn't cheer me up enough, the vicar who presided over the service later ended up becoming a White Witch which I was much amused/delighted by.

I'm not religious myself but he was glorious and I'd go to one of his services any day.

Original poster

Mileysmiley · 14/08/2019 03:10

*Oh, and if that didn't cheer me up enough, the vicar who presided over the service later ended up becoming a White Witch which I was much amused/delighted by.

I'm not religious myself but he was glorious and I'd go to one of his services any day*

A male witch is called a Wizard or a Warlock.

OP posts:

chickenyhead · 14/08/2019 03:16

My sisters funeral. She was only 50 and we had had the catholic service already and were getting in to the funeral cars to go to the cemetery.

Anyway, we are a family of 7 children now and we were in the middle car, me, 2 of my brothers a nephew and a niece, all of us overweight. Our limousine was dragging along the floor and the other 2 were much higher.

I couldn't help it, my sister would have found it hysterical. I blurted "who put all of the fatties in one car? Even our driver is fat!"

Well we were crying, all of us, but in hysterics. The car was scraping over a speed bump at a bus stop in traffic and the people waiting were horrified by us. Even the driver was laughing. My sister would have loved that.

TheNestedIf · 14/08/2019 03:30

A male witch is called a Wizard or a Warlock.

That's what I thought. But that's not what he calls himself. I have no reason to argue. :)

Lofari · 14/08/2019 07:28

Not laughter but i have a habit of putting my foot in it it funerals. Im one of those whi if you dont know what to say, absolutely anything come out my mouth to fill a silence

Once told my BIL to cheer up at a friends funeral.
Another time I saw a family friend at a funeral and havent seen him in ages. I greeted him with.......oh my god its soooo good to see you!
I really shouldn't be allowed out.

SootySueandSweeptoo · 14/08/2019 07:47

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

proudestofmums · 14/08/2019 07:51

Love these stories. I’m off to tell my family that I would be delighted if one of them got the giggles at my funeral. I know they love me so I know they’d be mourning as well.

I’m everlastingly grateful to an aunt who chose to wear a scarlet hat to my beloved DF’s funeral (her brother). Giggling at her relieved the tension as did later speculating on what he’d have said. The funeral was in church and she set us all off again at the crem by vanishing to use the loo when we arrived. The committal was very short and by the time she came out it was all over!

stucknoue · 14/08/2019 08:02

Many times - I organise them so go to many and some of the stories told are brilliant, if I was to write the perfect eulogy it would have a joke/funny anecdote at the beginning, and another close to the end, ensuring that tough parts are accompanied by uplifting stories.

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