7 Differences in the Funeral Business USA vs England

[@blackwidow1458]

One particular funeral directors have dealt with all my family my nan grandad mum and dad and they treat us like we are the only important people on the earth.when i went to view my dad, i admit, i cried until my eyes were red and i dont care who knows it. When i left,i went to thank them and one of them had tears in his eyes. Thank You guys

[@tonywilliams8426]

Same for my mother in 2016. Some of my friends are funeral directors

[@tfshower]

I'm almost half way done with my mortuary education at Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and I adore your videos and input! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge Kari!!!

[@KaritheMortician]

You can do it!

[@Sssssssslf]

I've been waiting for you to do a video comparing the two, you didn't disappoint! Looking forward to your upcoming video documenting your time spent at the funeral home 😊

[@danawildman8766]

This is excellent! I have been waiting for this video and you never disappoint. Looking forward to the next one!

[@ashleesue]

I visited London in Dec.2018 and in a crowded pub I signaled 2 people to sit as the place was chock full of people and no table space available but I had 3 empty seats. I tried to leave once I finished my coffee and they wouldn't have it. I ended up staying with them for 3 hours laughing heartily with them, learning English insults and learning about them. The guy was a FD from east of where I was staying/The pub was (tower hill). I learned they don't use vaults and they dig you up after a period of time. We're FB friends now. I look forward to a return trip to meet with them.

[@KaritheMortician]

So fun!!

[@taylorthomson7904]

Hi Kari. I live in scotland and also worked in a nursing home. I know that when someone dies a doctor verifies the death and then normally you can contact a funeral home and they will collect someone. I was shocked to hear that hospital dont work the same. I found this very interesting. I know when my grandfather past away we waited 18days until we had his cremation. Thank you for doing this video as it highlights the changes that could be made. Love from Scotland

[@angiehanneken9284]

Thanks Kari. Great video. You are so good at explaining the differences between the US and the UK.

[@sherryprice16]

All of my loved ones had the honor of burial at Arlington National Cemetary. There is a long waiting list though, especially if it will be a "full military honors" service. When my father passed, we had to wait almost 2 months before his service. He was cremated (which was done within a few days after death). When my Grandfather passed away, we had to wait over 3 months for his service and he was not being cremated. We had scheduled a memorial service at the funeral home for the day before and were shocked when the funeral director asked us if we wanted an open casket as Gramps had passed months prior. The director assured us that they would not have brought it up if there was anything to worry about. It says a lot about the funeral home procedures that we were able to have a full viewing months later and Gramps looked dapper as ever in his white tux.

[@brad9956]

So true about the wait at Arlington. And they don’t play favorites - famous servicemen and women have to wait in line like everyone else. For example: John Young - a FAMOUS ASTRONAUT WHO HAD WALKED ON THE MOON - was buried at Arlington... Over a YEAR after he died. Such was the backlog.

[@PatriotAcresinTexas]

I am sorry for your losses, and wanted toTHANK your loved ones for their service to our Country. May they RIP. Stay safe.

[@doomcdoo7751]

Sorry about your loss, arlington takes time. 🌹🇺🇸

[@PatriotAcresinTexas]

Thank you for this. It was very interesting and well done. And I wanted again to say that I appreciate your respect and dignity that you obviously show the deceased. I was raised by the old adage of treating people like you'd want to be treated and I hope when your time comes, you are treated with the respect and dignity that you've shown others. God bless and stay safe!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks so much!

[@nurshark10]

So very interesting! I would have loved that experience. Regarding licensure, Kentucky is a state that does separate licenses for embalmers and then funeral directors. My dad had both licenses and my mom was a funeral director. I’m looking forward to your next videos on America 🇺🇸 /England. So very interesting! Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

[@KaritheMortician]

You are welcome!!

[@annecaunce]

I think things must be done differently in London due to the higher number of deaths, but up here in the north of England the deceased are usually collected within a couple of hours of passing. I think that the funeral director was describing the worse case scenario. Funerals are typically held about 7 days later, unless there is a public holiday.

[@user-od1fm3hs9c]

I think it is like that it the whole of Britain to be honest. I have never heard of anyone waiting a month. I am sure if there is an inquest it may occasionally happen. It certainly would be a rare occurrence though.

[@poorlilrichgirl3561]

I’m in the East Midlands (Nottinghamshire) and never known a funeral within 7 days of passing. Average is 2-3 weeks by my experience. Maybe we are slower than average by U.K. standard?

[@rozportwain1361]

@@poorlilrichgirl3561 sometimes if it's a cremation there may be a longer wait, at certain times of year maybe winter there maybe more deaths or if there is a problem with the cremator you may have to wait a bit longer. There could be any number of reasons why.

[@keepitreal_1]

@@poorlilrichgirl3561 I'm in Nottinghamshire to & I don't know of anyone who had a funeral quicker than at least 4 weeks (including ones that were in hospice so didn't need an autopsy), I assumed that was the normal waiting time. My uncle had to have autopsy and his funeral was months after he died.

[@Simon-ho6ly]

Scotland and likewise.. i would say about 2 weeks barring public holidays, exceptional weather or other problems is about the norm, i have known longer when one crematorium had problems so there was a knock on for cremation

[@aviator1962]

Very interesting video Kari. I have been a funeral director and embalmer for 40 years and found this most informative. Thanks for doing this.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks so much!!

[@carolcoates3750]

Hi Kari. I worked as a grave digger/gardener for a few years in Boston, Lincolnshire, very near the coast and being a small island a lot of graves are near a coastline. Consequently a lot of the grave sites are at sea level or as in Boston, below sea level. If we had an early funeral we'd dig the grave in the afternoon and keep a pump running all night and remove it just before the service. Little did the mourners know that by the time they left the graveside, the coffin would start to fill with water which we had to fill in fairly quickly. That's why we have so many wonky headstones and slabs on top of graves. The ground is always moving. A bit disconcerting in the early days of starting the job. I hope the English climate was kind to you on your visit. Warm greetings from Blighty xx

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you for sharing

[@marnieenglish9400]

My parents lived in Sutterton, Boston x

[@carolcoates3750]

@@marnieenglish9400 I was living in Sutterton when working at the cemetary. I was in Dowdyke road, not far from The Wagoner's Rest pub, around 1978 onward.

[@garysansone2785]

Excellent info Kari😄 what a privilege for you to be allowed to be a part of England's funeral practices for a few days and kudos to that establishment for extending such a classy and warm welcome to you....good stuff and gotta love the good people of the UK😄

[@zoeemiko8149]

I've buried 3 family members in England and never faced the long delays you mentioned. 2 passed in hospital and were picked up within hours. Yes I had to make an appt to file the death certificate but never waited more than a day. Most doctors, if they're unavailable for more than a couple days will have another doctor stand in for them. I'm quite confused by the information you were given.

[@KaritheMortician]

Different parts of the country may have different wait times.

[@rozportwain1361]

It sometimes depends on the circumstances too.

[@JaimeMesChiens]

Kari Northey London is rather overflowing with population. It’s similar, I’d imagine, to making arrangements in NY City versus my small town in Connecticut. There is a long wait for everything in London.

[@peggybrashear4481]

My grandmother who lived in Swindon England. It took 2 weeks to get her buried. They had to hand dig her site.

[@amberlouise86]

I'm in midland UK and here, waiting up to 20 days is normal for a funeral. In hospitals here you can wait up to a couple days for funeral directors to collect a body x

[@KaritheMortician]

I think there are delays throughout which can add up if you get the extremes in each situation

[@americanresolutionist7272]

That sounds like an opportunity for a horrific mess for the loved ones to be forced to deal with.

[@sherigodwin6248]

Very interesting Kari! Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to see the follow up videos.

[@aprilguyer696]

In the American South the flowers are left on and around the grave. Families take a few flowers from the casket flowers and usually take home the live plants and small table top arrangements.

[@ajplays7241]

they do that in the American midwest aswell

[@debradavis9589]

Same here in Oklahoma

[@spiritmediumclaytonsilva649]

Such an awesome video!! Been waiting for this!! Looks like you had a wonderful time there! Thank you for sharing all these interesting differences with us!!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@user-od1fm3hs9c]

I am British and I have never known anyone to wait a month to be buried. I would say 5 to 10 days would be the norm. My mum died at home. The gp came out and gave us a death certificate within hours of her death. The funeral director collected her body the same day and was buried 7 days later.

[@scharf74]

Why 7 days as opposed to 3-5?

[@user-od1fm3hs9c]

@@scharf74 To be honest I am not sure. She died on Monday and was buried the following Monday. Funerals don't happen at the weekends so that is 2 days lost. My mum didn't have an autopsy as she we knew she was terminally ill. My dad was a sudden death and his autopsy delayed the funeral and he was buried 10 days after death. I live in Scotland and we couldn't get a pathologist to do his autopsy and they ended up flying one up from England. That took a few days to organise and you cant get a death certificate until the cause of death is known. His body had to stay in the city mortuary until his autopsy was done. It was only after that we were allowed to move his body to the funeral home.

[@KaritheMortician]

I didn't say that was average but it is not uncommon.

[@user-od1fm3hs9c]

@@KaritheMortician That makes no sense. If it is "not uncommon" that means it happens frequently therefore it would be average. Your information isnt accurate. I live in Britain and it is rare for someone to wait for a funeral for longer than 10 days. The vast majority will be done within 7 days.

[@KaritheMortician]

K do you work in a funeral home in England?

[@shellcshells2902]

I'm an American (Idahoan) who lived just north of this Funeral home in Sidcup. I lived there for nearly a decade and attended several funerals there. I was also taken back by the time frame but loved the professionalism and tradition! Beautifully done. Thank you for this video. Great to see the area again ♡

[@jeffkilbourne]

You answered every single question that I wanted to know about embalming and the funeral process and England great video

[@KaritheMortician]

Wonderful!!

[@lily-roseuk2845]

As a Brit, I found this fascinating! I’ve always thought the roles undertakers to be elegant, graceful and respectful. Maybe it’s the top hat & tails like you mentioned. I just think that the sentiment behind the profession is the last bit of dignity you can give a person and providing that level of support to the grieving families must be so rewarding. I’m going to check out your other U.K based videos! 💜🇬🇧 💜

[@tonywilliams8426]

10-4 to That! You wouldn't last long in this profession with the wrong attitudes....

[@MrJamiez]

😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂😂 😂 😂 😂

[@leelabella6348]

My husband is from the U.K. and his mom passed last year. It took a little over a month for the funeral to happen. I was stunned. However, family members were able to go and see her several times after she passed, over a period of weeks. I can’t help but think that this gives family more time to get some closure and actually realize that their loved one is dead. Most family members I have lost were buried or cremated in 3-5 days. 3 days is SUCH a short amount of time. On the flip side, when my stepfather passed away, I was about to lose my mind because he passed right before Memorial Day weekend, so we couldn’t get anything signed that we needed to get him into the funeral home until the next Tuesday. It took so long to me, as someone that was used to rushing about with funeral and wake plans immediately after a death. I’m not sure I could deal with a full month, but maybe if I knew going into it that it would be that way it would be different for me.

[@ldswife5339]

Kari, can you do a video of a “mock” arrangement? You showing us how you do arrangements without involving an actual family?

[@KaritheMortician]

Okay!

[@vicardullo3581]

Cat x pp

[@tracycole1481]

I live in the U.K and I've attended around five funeral's so far in my lifetime and all have taken place within 7 - 10 days. I would say it's typically within a week. However they can be a slight delay if the coroner is involved. When my grandma died a few months ago, she was collected within a few hours from the nursing home and kept at the funeral home until the coroner had signed off the paperwork which took about four days.

[@KaritheMortician]

I would definitely say in different areas, outside the city and such would yield a different time frame.

[@debbymajor9865]

Welcome to the U.K. So nice you can share with us the work you do behind the scene. Often in the U.K. we don’t talk about death we know it will happen to us all yet many don’t want to speak about it. I find it so interesting how our countries do things differently, I find some of the procedures in the US much better like how swiftly a funeral can go ahead and costs being set. Thanks for sharing and making this video X

[@KaritheMortician]

You are welcome!

[@lexfacitregem]

Wow. That was quite informative. I moved to the UK from America some years back.... my dad (who lived in America) passed away last week, and his funeral was a few days ago. When I told my supervisor this, she was shocked and told me how quick and sudden the funeral date was....I had no clue what she was talking about... but now I do.

[@leannemillar78]

I live in Scotland, my father in law died on 28th December and due to it being Christmas his funeral/cremation wasn't until 13th January.

[@militarymom6690]

What an authentic experience and education you were privy to. Thanks so much, Kari for sharing it with us. This was quite enlightening. God bless you!💕

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@gewells8098]

Hey Kari! Great job as usual and very much worth the wait! I love the traditions in England shown here, gives a unique perspective especially since I have strong Celtic roots. That delay time is really mind boggling though! I thought the red tape was bad here, but now we know it really could be worse! I’m interested in the differences where embalming was concerned, hopefully you could touch on that in a later video. In any case, look forward to seeing more from your time in England and hope you are all doing well!

[@Antaire]

GE WELLS The deceased are kept in a mortuary and embalming is not needed as the body is chilled.

[@margaretlaycock42]

I didn't know that I was leasing a burial plot until I watched your video...100yrs is the length of time in NW England...I went every day sometimes twice in one day, to see my son who was in one of the 6 maybe 8 viewing rooms without giving them notice that I was going...❤️

[@silentfades]

i am sure it was an amazing experience for you but as well I know it was an amazing experience for them as well meeting you !

[@SueCarey9]

Kari, I love this video. It's fascinating that there are so many differences. I would love to see more videos like this. I also love that you give shout outs to other funeral directors. You are a ray of sunshine in a difficult field. Take care.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@thatgirl81111]

I’m in the UK and I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the series. Also here in the Uk many people are now not having flowers and instead request that donations are made to the persons choice of charity. For my grandfather we donated to a charity and only had coffin flowers and 2 posies for the grandchildren. Myself and my cousin received a posie after the funeral x

[@wandamassengale7654]

I love learning these traditions of another country! Thank you!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@lauriestewart3700]

Very interesting. You could see the thankfulness in your face when you spoke. I'd say a trip back is a must. I'd love to see the same type of video maybe in a different country. Maybe a while other culture. I love exploring differences of religions as well. Great video Kari💜

[@KaritheMortician]

I will be back there soon :)

[@Thatsmisteroldguytou]

Terrific job Kari, I can't see anyone giving this a thumbs down!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks so much@

[@Antaire]

I think this is worst case scenario. I work for a funeral directors in England. If the person passes away in Hospital then they are kept in the mortuary until collected by a funeral home. If the person passes away in a Nursing home / hospice then the deceased is collected within a couple of hours approx and then is held in the funeral home mortuary.

[@KaritheMortician]

Correct, that is what was conveyed.

[@americanresolutionist7272]

All I could think of as you were explaining the differences is how much better and caring America is at it's funeral traditions. I am from NJ in where Italian heritage is so prevalent and we compete in flower arrangements and flower cars were the norm because of the abundance of arrangements going to the church and cemetery. The flowers were usually always left graveside and piled on top of the fresh dirt mound now covering the grave. Starting Thanksgiving through Christmas holiday time we do "grave blankets" at the cemeteries at our loved ones graves. IM don't know if it's a NJ custom or an italian one but flowers were always a huge funeral tradition, but I think grave blankets is a NJ thing.

[@KaritheMortician]

I felt the reverse when there

[@PrincessDevine]

The time lines can be longer depending on the season. My father in law died in winter and it was nearly 2 months to funeral. ( in winter deaths are higher)

[@doomcdoo7751]

Ty Kari for your post. Informative

[@KaritheMortician]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tinajackson5450]

Very interesting and informative. Good job Kari.

[@ryan_torres]

I've been waiting for this for a long time! Can't wait to see the rest of the series!!

[@Leeh123]

Can’t wait to show you around Australia and my friends company. She’d be honoured to have you. As would I.

[@KaritheMortician]

:)

[@imahorseygal1]

As always, this is another one of your great videos! Very interesting and extremely informative. I'm looking forward to the other England videos! Thank you so much for your commitment to your vocation and to keeping us all so well informed and educated about the funeral industry. Keep up the excellent work. 🙏🌞❤

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@limeyosu2000]

When mum passed in nov 2018 there was a delay of at least 3 weeks till we had the funeral. Another thing worth covering is the fact that most people in the uk are cremated nowadays. I think it’s like 75% or higher.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you for sharing!

[@debdolls7432]

You are right about the flowers Kari. When you come back to the UK you should witness an African / Caribbean funeral and see the other side . Love your videos so educational 👍🏾

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@lilymayphilippon6554]

Sounds so beautifully done like the flowers left at the home

[@douglasgraebner1831]

Q: What is usually done with a headstone after the lease is up-can it be disposed of, returned to the family, or placed in a set-aside area of the cemetery?

[@KaritheMortician]

Thrown out or the family can take

[@douglasgraebner1831]

@@KaritheMortician ah k-makes sense, pity there isn't a set-aside area for the most interesting removed graves, like a "lapidarium" of sorts.

[@Jess140594]

When I did work experience in funeral home (here in UK) our local hospital gives a funeral home 72hours to come and collect the deceased when they’re ready for release from the mortuary. It is a £50 fee for every night they’re still there after those 72hours - which makes sense, it’s a shelf in the refrigerator being taken up when it could be used for someone else so they have to use the back up units. Another thing worth noting is due to cremation being more popular over here, it’s a common misconception that the deceased is cremated straight after the end of the service. 9/10 they are cremated at the end of the service, but obviously with the amount of services a day and the limited number of retorts, sometimes the deceased is placed in a refrigerator unit and cremated first thing the next day. I was surprised to learn this, but after being shown around the crematorium by the people who work there, I realised that it actually makes sense. Doing that work experience really opened my eyes!

[@Antaire]

JessicaAmy145 Exactly, I think the video shows extreme worst case situation. I work in England and the video seems alien to me .

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you

[@MegaWorthington]

I am an experienced Funeral Director , I don't recognise the timings you describe at all. If a person passes away at a nursing/care home or their home address, we would usually collect within an hour after the death has been certified by a Dr or Paramedic at the scene. If the death has occurred in a hospital, the body would usually be released to us within a couple of days for burial or 3 to four days for a cremation (as there is additional paperwork to be completed). The delays you refer to are usually as a result of the Coroner getting involved and requesting a Post Mortem etc, this would be the case for any country ?

[@KaritheMortician]

The registrar has changed since covid

[@danlindberg1917]

Very nice! Beautiful flower displays. I don't want to appear morbid, but the question arose early what condition of the typical body is expected by the embalmer??

[@gailmckerrow1450]

Dan Lindberg embalming is by far the exception rather than the norm. I’ve never known anyone to be embalmed. Instead bodies are kept in coolers where they can stay in decent shape for many months. We don’t have public viewings so embalming to make the body “look good” isn’t necessary. We expect dead bodies to look dead and only very close family members would usually ask to view the body. I saw my father in his coffin at his funeral a week after he died and he looked like a yellowing corpse. To me seeing him all “pink” and like himself in life would have seemed wrong. It seems to be very much a cultural thing but I wonder how much of it is simply money making X

[@danlindberg1917]

@@gailmckerrow1450 Thank you so much Gail! What a difference in the process! You explained it so well! Thanks again!! Dan

[@danlindberg1917]

@@gailmckerrow1450 Thank you Gail! Very informative!

[@danlindberg1917]

@@gailmckerrow1450 Double reply! Thank you again!

[@TheSpinDoctor]

GAIL MCKERROW We do usually embalm in the UK - you don’t even get asked tbh as the family as the funeral directors have an all in one price, basically. Both my parents were definitely embalmed (hence the pink lifelike colour) as the stank of formaldehyde and didn’t look like a week-old corpse. It’s not really necessary if you’re burying or cremating within a week or so and it should be easier to say “I don’t want it, let me save money” but the all in one price makes it really hard to do that.

[@gettingold59]

Another Sunday morning education and very well done young lady

[@jgentges]

If there is such a time delay with paperwork wouldn’t that effect the autopsy results and how do they keep the body from decomposition for so long

[@gailmckerrow1450]

Justin Gentges bodies can last for many months in a cooler x

[@jgentges]

I guess in the states and tv shows make it seem so severe and quick to get embalming done. I assumed they’d be fine in the right temperature just didn’t think it was that much time

[@Antaire]

I think this is worst case as bodies are kept in mortuary’s when they are certified dead.

[@susieclayton3797]

This was interesting. I watched a family members English funeral today via webcast. She passed 17 Oct and a month later, the funeral. My biggest surprise? She was to be cremated. We assumed that already happened. We were surprised when her coffin was brought in. We were surprised when the curtain closed over her coffin and that the cremation was immediately following. We also had some challenges with where to send and what type of floral arrangements to send. Very different from the US! Your video explained a lot.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you!

[@cathywestholt5324]

Wow. Our 16 bed hospice house would need a morgue the size of another wing of the building with that long wait time!

[@Antaire]

Catherine Westholt No long waiting times in England.

[@KaritheMortician]

Hospitals and larger facilities have the long wait times

[@morganm5370]

@@Antaire actually it depends on the circumstances. I've attended plenty of funerals that have taken place 3-4 weeks after the death.

[@cookingprof]

You make a comment about the significance of the floral arrangements. I have a friend of mine that lost both his wife and his eldest daughter within 22 months from breast cancer. The caskets were identical full couch. A single pink rose was placed in the casket. Mourners were encouraged to send floral arrangements that would be suitable to be sent on to Nursing Homes. The big floral arrangement was only at the graveside. A full blanket of pink roses covered the entire casket. They were custom made as each rose was individually vialed for distribution to every woman at the graveside service. IMHO that has been the MOST moving thing that I've seen a family do with flowers.

[@skigirl1689]

The leasing of the graves surprised me the most. We still have grave spaces in my family from when my grandparents and great-grandparents purchased them. I remember my mom having to sign papers and find a notary when her brother and then her stillborn niece died so they could bury them in the spaces. It's just weird to think grave markers can be removed if a family doesn't renew the lease. That'd make genealogy more difficult.

[@KaritheMortician]

Yes it would

[@skigirl1689]

That does make sense. Here in the U.S, there are sites you can pay to see records, and the LDS Church has some free records, but it's a bit scattered as you get past 1940. There is a free website FindAGrave(.com) where anyone can enter grave info. I can see my great-great aunts and uncles and their birth and death years. I did a church history project for my church, and their record keeping was sparse, so I think it depends on the church body as to whether they'd be of any help. :).

[@Simon-ho6ly]

bit late but not all spaces are leased, it depends on the individual cemetery... most of the ones i know are permanent plots, but some arent

[@Genevieve8002]

Interesting video. I'm London born and raised, I am definitely familiar and aware of the longer durations of time that you describe between a person passing away and their funeral. Experienced it in my own family a number of times now and for me it's normal.

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks so much for viewing!

[@emmadalrymple4102]

Very informative! Hard to believe you spent just two days with Uden's. I had no idea what a vast difference there were between which side of the pond you live in. Some things I liked better, for instance the use of the coffin with no vault/liner directly in the ground. But I didn't like the thought of leasing the top ground space to someone new. Guess it goes to show how well we can all be neighbors in the end. The process and turn around time in England seemed way too long and unnecessary altogether. Fascinating nonetheless! Thank you!

[@gailmckerrow1450]

Emma Dalrymple the leasing only happens in heavily populated areas. Around the more rural parts of the country it doesn’t apply and it never applies here in Scotland

[@emmadalrymple4102]

GAIL MCKERROW Good to know. My family came to the US from...Dalrymple. Ayrshire, Scotland. Proud of my Scottish heritage !

[@gailmckerrow1450]

Emma Dalrymple there will probably still be graves for some of your ancestors though most people couldn’t afford headstones

[@Antaire]

The turnaround is very quick depending on factors. The deceased are kept in a mortuary so they don’t decompose.

[@racheldemain1940]

I live in the UK. I too like the idea of being back with the soil and the whole process being natural. I am not keen on the Visitation idea. I would rather say my goodbyes in private then go to the Funeral with everyone else and then to a venue to share memories with the Family.

[@catherinefrye7269]

Wow! Big difference indeed! Thanks for sharing this video I enjoyed watching it!🤗

[@KaritheMortician]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@evelynfoster2706]

The sweater you are wearing sure brings out the green in your eyes. Makes them sparkle a brighter green 💖

[@evelynfoster2706]

@Robert Gardea, i am a very happily married lady that has been married to my MALE HUBBY for 48 yrs. i have NO DESIRES FOR ANYONE OF EITHER SEX. I DO NOT APPRECIATE YOU TELLING LIES ABOUT ME ON HERE. ! .YOU DONY EVEN KNOW ME , PLESE DONT JUDGE ME BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE COMMENT. HAVE A GOOD DAY.

[@helenlogan4390]

My dad was a funeral director & embalmer for nearly 20 years & he wasn’t allowed 2 touch a body until the doctor had issued a death certificate. My brother died on the 9th February & his funeral wasn’t until the 21st February

[@RAL5210]

Kari, I have a question about placement of the body in the casket. Why is it that the head is placed to the left? I only occasionally see an image of a person in a casket where the head is on the right, and that has always been in a movie, not in real life.

[@KaritheMortician]

There is no set answer to that actually. Some info says it was originally if they were a criminal or not which way they were laid. Coffins were used a lot back in the day and they are one directional with the shape so possibly where a light was in the home or space would have dictated which way they set the casket.

[@johnhoma1094]

Hi Mrs. Northey, I enjoyed watching this video on the differences. I'm anxious about the new videos that you will be making. I hope to see them soon.

[@ldswife5339]

This is an awesome video!

[@RockStop22]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey. Here in Canada just from what I've seen, we do pretty much the same thing as you do in the U.S.. I love the classy way they do their funerals...I do have relatives over there (actually more in Northern Ireland) it's so interesting to know this. Thank you so much Kari!💗

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks so much!!

[@joemelvyn2588]

Love all the pictures, beautiful ; great job Kari !!! as usual .

[@limeyosu2000]

U.K. has changed a bit since I grew up there when my nanny died in hospital in the mid 80s, as it was a hospital and she had lung cancer she died Sunday night and funeral was Friday. Viewing was on a Thursday evening. Now when mum passed in November of 2018 there was a huge delay, but a post mortem was needed as she fell in a canal, and they wanted to make sure there was no fowl play. She passed on 26 th November, and the funeral was 21 st December.

[@KaritheMortician]

Such a sad end for her sweet life

[@limeyosu2000]

@@KaritheMortician thank you for your kind words.

[@introfiant30]

We here in America should be doing things like that. I love the tradition.

[@KaritheMortician]

We both have good traditions

[@Planty3125]

Kari great video. Im in Australia, you should come and have a look at how we do it. We share a lot in common with England, on average its about 5 days in Australia. England is a small compact country, where as Australia and USA are similar, also we have the extremes of weather cold and very hot, very little snow, I think weather and size of country has a lot to do with funerals. Australias population is small compared to UK and USA. A lot of the large USA conglomerates (like SCI) have left Australian, a lot of the larger family Funeral companies are consolidating. The UK permit/paperwork seems very bureaucratic. Kari keep up the good work.

[@joeblow8593]

Kari, most interesting video. Two questions: #1 How much are 'coffins' in England? I would imagine that they cost less, because they use primarily wood and and are smaller in size... #2 : Are newspaper (and online) death notices in England similar to those in the U.S.? Or are there big differences? Thanks...

[@joeblow8593]

@TheRenaissanceman65 Thanks

[@JaimeMesChiens]

Does anyone else recall the lovely TV show William and Mary? She was a midwife and he an undertaker. It was there that I first saw the director walking ahead with the top hat and tails. I would want that here in the USA! I’m not old enough to think yet if pre-planning my funeral, but I do hope that this will be available when I make my advanced directive.

[@philiplettley]

Body is removed from place of death quickly, they are either taken to coroners or undertakers, they don't have to wait for a death certificate. Time delays are for coroners cases, burial or cremation. My dad does collections for co op funeral care. I think the director is saying that he's waiting for declaration of death. Leaning headstones are usually indicative of a double burial, the stone would be stable after the first burial, but after the second burial, very hard to have a stable stone so usually leans. Funerals would usually be a religious place like church etc or the crematorium. Non religious would be in crematorium or at the graveside. Surprised you didn't mention about once the body is in the coffin and sealed it cant be reopened in the crematorium, so no reusable coffins

[@philiplettley]

@Robert Gardea why would they have rental caskets, whether coffin or casket, it can't be opened in the crematorium by law

[@debkski6084]

The rental casket is used while viewing the body at visitation. Immediately afterwards, the deceased is transferred to a cardboard box for cremation. So, YES, there are "reusable" rental caskets. She has covered this topic in at least one of her videos.

[@philiplettley]

@@debkski6084 not in the UK

[@TheShedOccupant]

I’d say this is common in a large place like London, in smaller places it goes quicker. But you can still expect 4 weeks before the funeral

[@KaritheMortician]

Thanks so much!

[@saltmeiner8910]

The covering of the gravespace in stone is a tradition dating back to the 18th and 19th century during the time of the bodysnatchers (burke and hare and the like). You may have seen iron cages over the length of some graves from that era. They are quite common in most kirkyards though it is very expensive nowadays. Graves from between the 5th to 17th century in my local cemetary dont have those. A few roman graves from the 2nd to the 4th century near where I live have coverings but it may have been their tradition, im not sure. The bronze age (celtic and maybe saxon) graves a few miles from me have entire earth mounds built over them.

[@danlindberg1917]

Very interesting ! Thank you!

[@keithcitizen4855]

For me harvesting body parts on the sly for non profit transplant is OK - in the days of Burke and Hare it was criminal to say the least.

[@douglasgraebner1831]

You see similar coverings in quite a few older cemeteries in the US as well from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Interestingly slab markers are the default in the two 17th/18th century Sephardi cemeteries in London as well as at the Beth Haim cemetery in Amsterdam.

[@snoopy1965]

Hey young lady I always appreciate your videos. God love and blessings

[@geraldsomeone7675]

Kari, exactly what are the overall PRICE 💰 💰 💰 variations juxtaposing USA with England for all of this tender loving Funeral care? A typical "traditional" Funeral in the USA could cost up to $12,000.00 PER BODY. However, the minimum wage REMAIN $7.50 per hour.

[@KaritheMortician]

there is no traditional anymore so that doesn't really mean anything as a phrase. The grave spaces are the huge cost in England

[@geraldsomeone7675]

Kari Northey, However the services are "packaged" the USA prices appear to be astronomical. A great friend passed November 2019, as NUMEROUS co-workers gathered in the Funeral home parking lot to attend the scheduled and widely published viewing...the viewing was abruptly cancelled, on the spot, by the Funeral Director, allegedly due to the "families financial situation". Ultimately, there was NO funeral and NO final service. Is there some way this matter could have been handled differently by ALL involved? This public embarrassment regarding the revelation of a families lack of funds appear quite disrespectful. 🌹

[@marnieenglish9400]

My mum and dad died Jan 9th and April 5th 2018. Mum and dads funerals was over 15,000 pounds including the service, burial/cremation plot, stone. It's very expensive 😫

[@geraldsomeone7675]

Marnie English, please accept my belated condolence regarding your loved ones recent passings. 🌹 🌹

[@Foxybiker72]

Hi Kari, I watched your film and I feel I must update you. In the North of England we have a system in which a between actual death to registration to the actual funeral time is on adverage 2 weeks if not faster but never like London of 4 weeks a death certificate is usually done quickly in the North UK. but it is diffrent time around the UK but until I watched your film I did not even know of sometimes a 4 week delay and was quite suprised

[@KaritheMortician]

It has updated in London area now since the Covid too

[@souixaan]

I live in the uk. i have been to many funerals and have yet to see a coffin. it has been a casket every time so far.

[@souixaan]

Also, a lot of people are asking tributes for charities in place of flowers now.

[@gailmckerrow1450]

souixie and I’ve yet to see a casket

[@jaycormack4118]

Souixie lucky u I've not seen many caskets in uk a odd one

[@souixaan]

@@jaycormack4118 i actually prefer coffins and i want a shroud for myself. caskets really aren't for me. maybe its just what our crem promote?

[@jaycormack4118]

@@souixaan vampires sleep in. Yes maybe it's just your crem do u live in south england

[@nikkil2636]

When you talked about the rental space of a grave. That happened to a young boy that I knew. He died aged 16 after having a heart transplant. He and his family had special needs. The benefits system paid for his grave. He is on top of someone unknown with his headstone on top. If you would like, I can send you a picture of his headstone. It has a picture of his beautiful face on it. X

[@KaritheMortician]

Sure I would love to see it :)

[@nikkil2636]

@@KaritheMortician I’ve sent you an email.

[@TheSpinDoctor]

The “2 weeks to a month” delay from death to handover here is not always representative - both of my parents were in the ground/oven within 5 days of death, it’s not that unusual. The major delay is getting an appointment with the Registrar and getting a slot at the church/crematorium - but that varies a lot by region. Tbh if you kick up enough fuss and fib about religious regions, most Registrars seem to be able to magically squeeze you in.

[@bubbles2868]

Length of time depends on where in the UK you are. We had death certificates in hand and registered in 2 days both times. The funeral company that handled my mum were fabulous, kind, caring, professional. Location Halifax. She died 7th buried 16th. They also did the walk in front of the hearse when they brought mum to the house, prior to going to the church, and they did it again at the church. If we had done cremation it was 6 weeks before a date could be had. A different company handled my stepmum, but still as wonderful and still with the director walking in front of the hearse. Location Blackburn. Died 11th, cremated 24th. That delay was because she was supposed to go to medical science, they said they were full and not taking anyone else, tried a different place that accepts deceased for science, they refused her due to her bedsores. A funeral was the last thing she ever wanted. Can't say much for the embalming they did on my stepmum, she looked completely different. Her face looked like it had been pulled taught and all lopsided on one side. No she hadn't had a stroke, but they made her look like she did. Disappointed. Guess that happens when the embalmers work for a massive chain of funeral places. Here in the USA it took 2 weeks to get the death certificate for my father in law and that was in Houston.

[@KaritheMortician]

Wow nice

[@shadesofidaho]

When hubby and I worked the two local cemeteries the services were held in the specially built shelters. Both cemeteries were really old and on hills. One much steeper than the other. It was very difficult for the people to get up to the graves and there were so many older people in our communities. Also the roads through the cemeteries over time turned all to grass as they were very narrow built for the old Model T's and horse and carriages. Also there were underground springs in both cemeteries. Many graves started filling with water almost as soon as they were dug so no grave side services. Not to mention it was dangerous to have people and some smaller children just running around the heavy equipment. The cemetery would close for an hour during actual burial. There were times a family member insisted being there so I always allowed one person and I stayed with them and explained what might be seen. Many people before us were buried in the wrong places and it could be a very tight squeeze getting the new vault and casket in place. As scary as it is years ago all head stones were moved from what is called family plots to rows but many of the older caskets were not moved. None of this noted on the maps. It was always a relief to get to the bottom of a hole and have it totally empty and dry. It took me 6 years to rebuild the maps through deep research and personal witching. I got pretty good at it. After this we and other sextons to follow us had a good idea what they might find when digging a hole. I also put it all into the computer with much back up.

[@juliehemling6877]

Chris Pyle mi

[@tomlilly1628]

This is a bizarre question for you. Behind you in this video is a blue wall. Wondering, if you know, what the paint brand and color name or number is? Hoping that you can tell me and I do enjoy the information on the death industry that you provide. Thank you!

[@KaritheMortician]

Dang that was my old house and it was a great color blue!

[@davidmckinney6577]

Very interesting vlog and so informative. I think it is sad about not using a vault and leasing a grave. They sure are different from US.lol

[@gailmckerrow1450]

David McKinney why is it sad not to use a vault? We see it as a money making scam. Completely unnecessary

[@scharf74]

Gail, because the ground is caving in on the casket/coffin... that plus the water table will make your loved one very....”different” to say the least....

[@gailmckerrow1450]

Nikki Schar but your loved one is dead so we don’t understand this obsession about preserving them. We are happy to let nature take its course and return the person to nature. Also for me the idea of having my loved one’s body interfered with and violated to soak them in carcinogenic chemicals and have them assaulted with a trochar to puncture their organs is far more abhorrent than a natural process. Our cemeteries aren’t full of caved in graves. They look natural maybe not like manicured lawns but far more natural. The US uses about 98% of the world’s vaults as far as statistics can be determined. Also if preventing a caved in grave is so important the best way is actually having a wrapped body with NO casket. It’s cultural differences but I think the US funeral industry has done a great job in convincing relatives to spend vast amounts of money on preservation that is completely unnatural and unnecessary xxx

[@RobynAuditoreNicol]

@@gailmckerrow1450 100% agree! Here in Scotland the process is pretty simple, America seems so obsessed with keeping their dead as they were - but that's not the natural process is it? Never understood the vault situation myself, creeps me out!

[@gailmckerrow1450]

I’m in Scotland too

[@larryboysen5911]

I imagine if a person dies at home, the body has to be sent to a facility preserve the deceased while the paperwork drags on! The English coffin reminds me of their Victorian heritage...they are really nice and like you mentioned...simple, yet historical. The floral art is fantastic and ties in with the loved one and family!

[@sandramonaghan3130]

I live in the north of England funerals are usually held within seven days must only be in London my dad was buried within five days the funeral home did the best because my mother was I'll at the time we have a lot of lovely funeral homes here in the north of England family run buisness will go out of there way to make sure you get everything you want very caring

[@e.j.thomas9994]

My local hospital held my maternal grandmother for 5 days, before she went to the death shop. She died on Friday 15 October 2010, and she wasn't disposed of until 25 October 2010. Quick by British standards!

[@DenitaArnold]

I think I would rather have a coffin than casket. That may be doable. But sadly, unless the cemetery says so, I'd still need a vault.

[@guardiansanimalrescuestate7289]

U can do a natural burial.

[@rickmeyers401]

Thanks Kari, I enjoy your videos so much.

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

I make british coffins, their really nice to do any their easier than most european variants. You should come by some time if your ever in kansas I can show you the process.

[@keithcitizen4855]

My ex coffin maker boss used whatever chipboard was offered to him cheap , EG on one occasion a stack of the green chip board came in to get diced up for use , toxic when cut and burned - often the air inside the coffin factory was thick with MDF dust and when helping out in the spray shop my eyes would sting from the fumes - I worked for 50 cents an hour below minimum wage for the first few months complaining all the while , eventually I was promoted to chief coffin assembler (31base units per day) getting away from the drudgery of having my hands soaking in putty all day rubbing the skin of my finger tips puttying up hundreds of nail holes consequently my pay increased to the minimum wage , not really a promotion for the added skill and responsibilities using enough glue ! - throughout my 40 years of full time employment my means of earning a living in 5 jobs got less glamorous with each move IE , musical instrument maker, bedroom furniture maker (2 factories), failed armoured car operator , then coin processer same company, then the coffin factory, a good place to be in a recession period which I'm now not. not a dead end job always constant

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

Keith Citizen ya, I don’t like all the cheap stuff. My lowest coffin is $650 and that’s solid pine. I don’t use MDF and I never make in large quantities

[@scutiepie9433]

Thx for pics at the end 😊

[@KaritheMortician]

Glad you like them!

[@theresalaux5655]

Wow, this is so interesting but I still cant wrap my mind around leasing a grave site!

[@jeanwalker8276]

We don't lease in the UK.

[@awalker1829]

In New Orleans it is normal for members of various social societies to be placed in the society's crypt for one year. Each crypt has several vaults that have a platform that the body rests on and an opening in the back to the communal charnel pit under the monument. At the end of the one year period, the vault is unsealed and the bones are shoved back and dropped into the charnel pit, making room for another occupant. It's pretty much the same in many European countries-unless the cemetery is a family cemetery, you rent the grave for a contracted term and your bone are removed at the end of the lease.

[@poorlilrichgirl3561]

My parents plot is leased for 50 years and cost around £1000 just 3 years ago. My father in laws plot was £300 for 100 year lease and he’s been buried there 20 years now. Same cemetery. The prices go up annually almost and the leases get shorter.

[@rozportwain1361]

@@jeanwalker8276 yes we do. I worked in a cemeteries office, the fees and years of lease can change every year

[@rebeccaligda7762]

Kari do the coffins lock like a casket does.? I love the way the coffins look. Thankyou for all the information you give to us.

[@jeanwalker8276]

In the UK we buy a plot which is yours forever, and can hold up to 4_6 people. I have never ever heard of leasing in the UK.

[@rozportwain1361]

I think you will find the rules have changed in the last few years depending on the cemetery. Some now only sell graves for 25years. So you now never actually own a grave. They do this so that they can be reused in the future, after a certain amount if time. Most cemeteries are doing this now because of shortage of space. Perhaps you should check with your local cemeteries office. Some private cemeteries have different rules, it depends on who owns the land.

[@nikkil2636]

It happens. A family member died and his mum was poor and had special needs. The son was then buried on top of someone else. We don’t know who it is & his headstone is now there. A new headstone mainstay all very old headstones.

[@awalker1829]

One major difference is the funeral coach. The British use limousine style funeral coaches that make the coffin and floral arrangements very visible. Some funeral coaches also have provisions for the pall bearers to ride with the coffin. Here in the US, most funeral services use landau style hearses that hide the casket from view. Then there’s the difference in how the coffin/casket is carried by the pall bearers. In Britain, the coffin is carried at shoulder height while we carry caskets at waist height.

[@RobynAuditoreNicol]

Out of interest why do you carry the coffin at waist height? In Scotland it's on your shoulders?

[@awalker1829]

That I am not certain. I would suspect that it is because a) a US style casket is larger and more unwieldy than a proper coffin and b) they can become quite heavy with the unnecessary hardware the casket manufacturers install. Generally a casket will contain a device that can be used to elevate the head of the corpse and they may have drawers installed to allow the family to place items in the casket with the deceased. Some caskets may have a lead liner, which would add a significant amount of weight. Personally, I don't like caskets. I plan to be cremated, so my preference is to have a memorial service and have a wooden casket that can be burned in the crematorium.

[@racheldemain1940]

A Casket would be too heavy to "Shoulder" we carry Coffins this way as they are lighter and 4 Bearers can carry a coffin .

[@malc2558]

On most UK coffins (the lower to average price range), the handles are simply decorative and would snap off immediately if used to lift. That is why we initially handle coffin using the base when lifting from hearse, and then raise onto shoulders

[@jeanwalker8276]

That is not true in the UK, funerals take place usually in a week. I have never heard anyone waiting as long as you say!!!!

[@awalker1829]

In most places, Islamic funerals take place within two or three days (as dictated by requirements from the Quoran. However, the imam may grant dispensation if the burial has to be delayed for some reason.

[@rozportwain1361]

Sometimes they do take longer depending on how busy the crematorium or cemetery is or indeed the funeral home, all these things can hold up a funeral

[@natmccallion]

I’m in wales and it takes about two weeks. I’m not in a rural area either. I found what Kari said quite accurate. The paper work etc... makes it take so long xxx

[@atg3569]

It depends on a thousand things, I waited 3 weeks before my nans funeral, I’m from the UK

[@bobbibuttons8730]

In Norfolk and Suffolk where some of my family are it can take 3-4 weeks. The hold up is with the crematorium. If there is an inquest then it can be longer. In Scotland where I am I’ve always been used to it being within a week. My Mum died on a bank holiday so the whole process took about 10 days but the delays were caused by 1. Getting the death certificate, 2, there was a backlog because of the long weekend at the funeral home and crematorium. I’m Jewish so our funerals are much quicker unless there is dispensation to have a delay for whatever reason

[@Foxybiker72]

Hi Kari, Also to add a grave plot can be purchased but by law passed recently a maximum lease of a grave is 50yrs

[@KaritheMortician]

Good to know!