Share your funeral wishes with Co-op Funeralcare - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[EmmaMumsnet]

Thinking ahead to a time when you will no longer be here is undoubtedly not a pleasant thought. The majority of us plan other big life events such as birthdays, weddings, baby showers and/or anniversaries down to a tee, however when it comes to funerals very few of us have detailed plans in place. If there's something in particular you have in mind, whether it’s something beautiful, something personal, or even something humorous, Co-op Funeralcare would like to know.

Here’s what David Collingwood, Head of Operations for Co-op Funeralcare has to say: “Funerals are very much about personal choice and reflecting the personality and interests of an individual. This is becoming increasingly evident through the growth we’ve seen in people choosing to pre-plan their own ceremonies using a funeral plan.”

Do you have a specific piece of poetry that you want read out by a certain someone? Maybe you’d request that all of your friends and family turn up in fancy dress? Or perhaps you already have in mind a certain song that will put a smile on everyone’s face...Monty Python’s ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ and Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ are popular songs requested for funerals!

Co-op Funeralcare would like to know what your funeral wishes are, so please share them below and all who comment will be entered into a prize draw, where one lucky MNer will win a £300 voucher or their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I want a Willow coffin like my Dad had - beautiful. No enbalming.
Church service followed by cremation. I want people to wear traditionally toned down clothes and to come into the church to Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water and leave to Sound of Silence by the same singers; this song was recorded the year I was born and I love it. In the crematorium I'd like them to go in to the same Bridge Over Troubled Water but leaving I want The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed. That'll be a surprise! :)
A 'do' in a pub or similar place with Champagne and good food and a montage of my life showing me happy...so basically a celebration of my life. The following day, a select few dressed in bright and cheerful clothes will go to my favourite place (not mentioning it here though) and have a spread laid on particular to this place however, if it is no longer there then I'll have to find something else for them to do. I intend to have everything paid for in advance.

I haven't thought of anything, to be honest, I realise it is something I must consider. My nan passed away not long ago and having plans in place really helped the family through the difficult time.

Funerals are expensive so the cheapest possible will do me, then hopefully my family can spend the rest of the cash however they wish.

I have had to plan my funeral unfortunately as have a terminal diagnosis. I sat with a good friend and we planned music (no time to say goodbye etc), flowers (tulips) and dress code (simple and comfortable)

When we talked though I realised, much like others on here, that my wishes really didn’t mean that much. I won’t be there. I will leave behind a wonderful man who has already had to bury his mum at a very young age from bowel cancer and three lovely sons. They will need to say and do whatever they think they need to get through it and that’s the best thing I can plan. To just have the funds available and my blessing In writing to send me off in the manner they think I should go... I have planned big birthdays, Christmas’ s, driving lessons, everything I could think of.

So the only thing I stipulated was that I wanted a hefty arse bouncer to prevent any ‘stately home’ members of my family from paying their respects. They can’t do it in life so they won’t make a mockery of me in death.

Not to die! I would like people to enjoy themselves but as I won't really be there, I don't mind!

Simple funeral for me no religious involvement. Biodegradable cardboard type coffin in a woodland somewhere!

I really don't mind what happens at my funeral. I think funerals are for those left behind. So all I want is for it to be helpful for those of my loved ones left behind

I'd love for my family members to get together after the funeral for a dinner or a party and enjoy themselves, share stories etc I don't want them to be sad or depressed, everyone mourns but I'd hate to think they were sad and couldn't get passed it months afterwards.

I'd want my funeral quick and quiet. I don't want others to have to spend days worrying and fretting about flowers or hymns or speeches.

Get me in, draw the curtains, then go and sign the paperwork and go.

My biggest wish would be that everything I set up for my funeral in advance is adhered to, so that others do not have to worry about it

I will have a woodland burial at the same site as my mum. The coffin will be wicker and my DH will do the music if he is alive (he used to be a DJ), if not him than a friend. Apart from that I just want lots of cake

I would chose that everyone DOES NOT wear black, I would want lots of colour and upbeat songs that will bring a smile to everyones faces, no flowers and all donations to The Peace Hospice x

I'd want the least cost possible to be honest and no black, dress as you like, cheap send off and only those closest attending. And I'd plan to cover any costs myself if it was old age being against me. I'd rather the ones I love remember me living not at an all day ceremony dressed in black singing in a church.

Cremation.....my hubby and my daughter to scatter my ashes in the sea somewhere nice.....no service.....just for them to collect my ashes when ready and scatter when they feel is right for them

To simply not be a burden on my loved ones. I would like to be cremated then have my ashes scattered somewhere that holds special memories for my children- knowing them it’ll be at a theme park!

I want a cardboard coffin with pretty flowers painted on it. I want the ceremony to take place in the church where I was baptised and married. I want to be buried in the same cemetery as my grandparents and parents. I also want a headstone that states my married and maiden names, as I'm really into family history and that will help any researchers who might come lookin gfor me in a couple of hundred years' time!

Definitely no religious ceremony, just a cremation and hopefully a nice little send-off from my family and loved ones, no huge affair though.

I'd like to act in death as I have in life.

I'm going to arrange for someone to phone ahead to apologise that I'll be arriving ten minutes late.

On the way there we'll need to get sidetracked with an errand I need to run, which despite my optimism that it'll take no time, will inevitably turn the ten minutes into twenty.
Once I'm there, I'll apologise profusely for my late arrival before joining
my guests to celebrate my life and the fact that I always squeezed every last minute and drop out of it.

I wish to be buried not cremated (have never liked being too hot) but other than that I think part of the grieving process is that your loved ones get to choose how they wish to say goodbye to you. They get time to talk to one another and think of things that you have shared and loved together and put a fitting tribute together for you. Personally, I think music is very important at a funeral and I'd like them to include "Over the Rainbow' which has always been special to me - then perhaps in the future, every time they see one they'll remember me!

It sounds silly but I would want people to be happy. I would like them to remember the happy times and share silly stories. There should also be a decent amount of yummy cake!

Always said I wanted clowns, balloons and a general mardi gras feel. Celebrate a life.

no hymns & i def don't want to buried!

I've not really put much thought into what I would want as a funeral.
I'd want people to drink, have a laugh and reminisce afterwards (like everyone usually does)

The main thing is I don't want people wasting money on me. I'd want it to go to something for the family and to charity. Improve someone elses future :)

I'd like a non-religious service with some funky, upbeat music and a simple burial. It'd be much more for those left behind as I'm not going to know about it by then!

If I die before my mother she won't be there at my funeral because homophobes are deliberately excluded.

My funeral will be planned by my children, so if they want to wrap me in newspaper and feed my body to animals or send me to landfill I'll be happy, then they can spend the ridiculous amount of funeral expenses saved on a family trip to somewhere of their choice. I won't be there, so what ever comforts them is ideal for me.

I've always loved the poem "do not stand at my grave and weep" so I would like that.

I'm not religious and would like to be cremated without fuss - but then, my ashes put into a set of fireworks like those ones that go boom and make a planet shape or heart shape....

At my gathering/send off/funeral I would like people to say a few nice words - listen to some music that they choose that reminds me of them and then watch a firework display (featuring me in the finale!) Of course, then eat nice food...I'd chose pulled pork rolls and crackling with sweet potato fries - but I won't be there to enjoy it!