My neighbor has died

I'm a bit confused. Is the body at their house? When are you standing outside and bowing? If it is a funeral, wouldn't the procession be from the funeral home to church or graveyard?

Sorry for ignorance, maybe you have different customs there. If it is a neighbour, I would go to the funeral or service.

No one here stands outside or stops or makes any attempt of any kind of acknowledgement

I think it depends where you live in a village or very small town or close community then probably people do

My Nan always drew the curtains too MissA but I don’t remember mum and dad doing it I wouldn’t know if any of my neighbours died

When I lived in the Far East the relatives used to pay people to walk behind the hearse weeping and wailing

Stand outside with head bowed, as a mark of respect - that’s what I would do if you have only just moved to the area. I have been to a few funerals since moving here in 2008 🥲

CanadianGran, the custom here is for the deceased to be conveyed in the hearse from the funeral directors to the house where members of the family will follow the hearse in cars to wherever the ceremony is taking place.

Greyduster, thank you, now I understand. yes, by all means then Nannashirlz, stand and show your respect outside.

Here the family would meet at the funeral home and the procession would take place from there. We were taught to stop, bow heads and make the sign of the cross , (I'm Catholic) as a funeral cortege passed.

I quite like the clapping. We all did it when our neighbour died during covid. We weren't allowed to go to the crematorium and it seemed appropriate to show him that we thought he was a lovely man. Applauding his life in away.

I haven’t heard of the custom of standing outside except perhaps for a well known local figure when people may line the streets. Years ago, neighbours would draw the curtains.
I don’t think the family will mind whatever you do.

We don't do that here. We would go to the funeral or if we don't know them stay inside.

The hearse drives very slowly away from the person's home (or wherever the funeral is coming from) with one of the people (directors?) walking in front of it here.

It's just for a few minutes usually, so neighbours come out and kind of see the person off on their last journey.

Sometimes in my village, relatives of the deceased comment on our local Facebook page the date, time and route the hearse will be driving through and invite folk to stand and pay their last respects. I found it very moving to join in and I know it gave the family pleasure to realise how much their relative was loved and respected by all.
I'd certainly stand outside.

A lot of people here will stop what they are doing and how their heads as a funeral procession goes by, too.
Men usually remove their hats, or touch them in a kind of salute.

Bow. Not how!!

I remember being very touched when I saw a man remove his hat as we passed following the hearse before my father's funeral. If you stand outside with your head bowed, I think it would be a nice gesture.

Oops, just noticed that the funeral was today. I hope you feel that you did the right thing, whatever that was.

Clapping as the hearse goes by comes from the continent.
I first noticed it at the opera singer’s funeral in Paris. Of course she was a performer.
Then for Princess Diana. It seems strange to us as it’s a new tradition.

Maria Callas’ funeral, I meant to say.

Standing outside and bowing the head is appropriate. Some of us still pause and bow the head as a hearse, any hearse, passes as was done by many of our parents when we were children. A brief acknowledgment of the passing of a fellow human being.

When my husband died at Christmas my very new neighbour who I had only said hello to twice came out and stood at the bottom of his drive and watched and waited as we drove off. I thought that was very kind and respectful of him as he had never met my husband. At a time of great sadness for me and my family this gesture meant a great deal and I have since spoken to him and his family and thanked them.

Nannashirlz, we’re all human, and signs of affection and sympathy never go amiss. I’d stand outside.

yes to stand outside and bow head..

I recently attended a funeral in church and was surprised that as the coffin was carried back outside everyone turned and stared at it while I turned and bowed my head as it passed...
what is usual?

back in the day we would close our curtains and stay inside.

HeavenLeigh

I’ve never actually heard of applauding at a funeral that actually makes me feel uncomfortable . Is this a new thing?

Seems to be. My stepfather thinks it’s awful. I agree.

Ah. Different customs hollysteers then.
Thank you for explaining.

So do I.

In our street neighbours come out and bow their heads.

A very much loved member of my family died recently. The care staff from the learning disability unit, where he’d spent the last year of his life, requested that we call by with the hearse so they could pay their respects.

We set off from the funeral parlour accompanying the hearse and diverted to the nursing home. A group of staff came outside and stood in silence with their heads bowed for 2 mins. Then just as we were moving slowly away behind the hearse they all stepped forward and gave a round of applause. It was incredibly moving.