We've been to a lot of wake services for local classmates of easy child and difficult child. The families always have a collection of the kid's favorite music piped in. And all throughout the funeral home are all the kid's favorite things, like guitars, skateboards, sneakers, posters, pictures or family and friends, etc - you name it, it's in there. I absolutely love the idea of celebrating one's life by surrounding other's paying their respects with the artifacts of thier lives. It's a reminder to live!
I don't want a wake/funeral; I find them morbid and depressing. I want to be cremated [immediately] in a plain cardboard box (if possible) and then my family can throw a party. They can have the party on an evening with a very full moon, light hundreds of white candles, & play all my favorite music like all motown stuff in particular Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin...and then some Grateful Dead and Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, Bob Segar from the old days, a little bit of Michael Buble for my girls (we sing it in the car together all the time), Duffy cuz she's cool and funky, Los Lonely Boys and...well, I love it all.