SeeCalifornia.com

Two things are certain in life–death and taxes. For most of us taxes will come first this year, and hopefully death won’t happen for many years to come. But when it’s time to go, some wish to make it a happy celebration. My grandmother lived  almost 100 years and when she knew her time was running out, she did NOT want a sad funeral. She requested that the family get together for a fun party in her honor. The photos above might just as well have been for her. As a youngster she worked in her parents’ circus as a performer.  The pictures are actually of a funeral held in honor of a woman who spent most of her adult life planning parades in the California company she co-owned with her husband. Clowns, elephants, horses and bands all marched in her honor after she passed.

During the 19th & early 20th centuries in America there were many prescribed customs for death and dying such as wearing certain colors. In the Victorian era when most died at home, specific mourning conduct helped families communicate their loss to the community as well as protect their need for privacy. While there are a variety of customs that  ethnic groups tend to follow when it comes to death and funerals, there also is a climate of acceptance that allows families, friends and individuals to step outside the box and have a little fun.