Are you scheduled to attend services at one of the funeral homes in Riverdale, NY sometime soon? If you are, you might be a little bit worried about how you’re supposed to act at a funeral, especially if you’ve never attended services at one. Fortunately, there are some simple funeral home etiquette tips that you can keep in mind to ensure you’re on your best behavior from the time you first step into a funeral home. Take a look at these tips below. 

Make sure you wear the right attire to a funeral home. 

Before you show up at a funeral home for Riverdale, NY funeral services , you should make sure you’re wearing the right thing. Years ago, that meant putting on a black suit if you were a man or a black dress if you were a woman. But these days, people are no longer expected to wear all black to a funeral. They also don’t have to limit themselves to just a suit or just a dress. That being said, you should still try and wear something subtle and understated so that you don’t distract anyone at a funeral home while attending services. 

Get to a funeral home on time for services. 

If you’re going to be attending funeral services that start at 9 a.m., the last thing you want to do is pull into the parking lot at 9:05 a.m. for them. In fact, you don’t even want to be pulling into the parking at 8:55 a.m. for them. You should give yourself plenty of time to work your way into a funeral home by arriving at least 15 to 20 minutes early, if not even earlier than that. It’ll allow you to walk into the funeral home and find a seat for the funeral services without distracting anyone else. 

Know what to say to a grieving family at a funeral home. 

At some point either before or after funeral services for a person, you’re likely going to come face-to-face with the person’s grieving family. It’s important for you to know what to say to them during their dark days. Ideally, you should play it safe by going with something simple like, “I’m so sorry for your loss,” though you might also want to share a brief story about the deceased with their family if you have the time. Whatever you do, don’t stumble over your words and say the first thing that comes to mind, which could very well be the wrong thing. You’re better off planning out what you’re going to say ahead of time. 

Avoid playing around on your cell phone while visiting a funeral home. 

While you’re attending services at a funeral home, you might be tempted to pull out your cell phone and play around on it to pass the time. Resist the urge to do this at all costs. You could upset others in attendance at funeral services by doing this. You’re also going to have a tough time providing your full attention to others when your phone is in your hands. It’s why you should leave your phone in your pocket or, better yet, leave your phone in the car while visiting a funeral home. 

Have any funeral etiquette questions that you would like answered? Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, Inc. can provide them for you. We can also help families make Riverdale, NY funeral arrangements for their loved ones. Reach out to us for all your funeral needs .