Calling hours vs funeral. A viewing may take place shortly before the funeral service, while calling hours are often scheduled the evening before or during the day of the service. Explain that the person being buried or cremated is dead. While visitation or calling hours allow for friends and family to arrive during a specified time span to pay respects and offer condolences to the family, a funeral begins at a precise time. Calling hours are usually held in the evening before a funeral or memorial service, but they can also be held on the same day. What not to do when someone dies? Explore common mistakes to help make this difficult time a little less stressful for you and your family. Timing will partly be influenced by family preferences, such as how long it takes to gather remote family members for the funeral. The timing can also differ. KEYE TV CBS Austin is the news, sports and weather leader for the Texas Capitol Region, covering events in the surrounding area including Round Rock Pflugerville, Georgetown, Belton, Killeen, Taylor, Lakeway, Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, Wyldwood, Bastrop, Elgin, Bartlett, Jarrell, Bertram, Burnet and Salado. May 21, 2025 · For calling hours or visitation, you are welcome to come at any time during the posted window. The family is all in line at the door so they can shake hands with everyone. Calling hours, sometimes referred to as funeral visitations, refer to a tradition most common in Catholic and Protestant faiths in which friends and acquaintances gather at a funeral home to view the body and offer condolences to the family. For a funeral service, arrive at least 10–15 minutes early. Jun 3, 2021 · While visitation or calling hours allow for friends and family to arrive during a specified time span to pay respects and offer condolences to the family, a funeral begins at a precise time. If you've ever Sep 1, 2025 · A viewing is usually small, quiet, and deeply personal, while calling hours tend to be larger and more interactive. This forum discusses considerations for deciding whether to attend calling hours or a funeral, especially when not closely related to the deceased. The new trend is either one set of calling hours from 2 to 4 hours in duration in one sitting the night before OR all one day service with a calling hour or two at the funeral home before a funeral service at the funeral home or place of worship, possibly with burial immediately following or not at all. May 14, 2022 · When attending a visitation, friends and family will come and go during the prescribed calling hours as they choose. Calling hours are a set time for friends, family, and other acquaintances of the decedent to come together. Most guests stay for about 10–20 minutes, long enough to express condolences, view the casket or memory displays, and greet the family. Calling hours are an intimate gathering for those who knew the deceased to support each other in their time of grief, remember the life of the deceased, give condolences to the family, and to pay their respects to the deceased. While the atmosphere remains respectful, calling hours often include conversations, hugs, and reconnections as people reflect on the impact the deceased had on their lives and community. Where Did the Concept of Calling Hours Come From Calling hours have their origins in English and Irish traditions. The funeral itself usually takes place anywhere from a day or two to a week or so after someone has passed away. Key Differences Between a Viewing and Calling Hours One of the key differences between a viewing and calling hours is the size and tone of the gathering. Feb 12, 2026 · When the body is present and a mourner is attending to say one last good-bye to the deceased it is “a viewing”, when the body isn’t present, or someone didn’t know the deceased but wants to personally offer condolences to survivors, “calling hours” or “visitation” is used. It is a special time set aside for people to gather, talk quietly with each other about memories of the one who has passed, and pay their respects to the deceased’s family. Learn the key differences between a wake and a funeral, including their purpose, timing, & traditions, to better understand these important end-of-life rituals. I've never heard the term "calling hours" or heard of people seeing the family the day before the funeral. People can go see the body an hour or so before the service, if the deceased person chose an open casket, but there's no reception line or anything. A funeral can take place at the family home, a funeral home, or a place of worship such as a church. Before a funeral or memorial service, it was customary for people to pay a visit to the deceased’s home. Dead means that they are not alive anymore. A wake (sometimes referred to as calling hours) is a formal event that typically occurs right before the funeral. Attendees include people who knew or admired the deceased and people who did not know the person who died but who know one or more of the mourners. . Explaining Cremation, Burial, Calling Hours & Funeral Talk with young children about cremation and burial to prevent confusion. Calling hours in NY are where people line up outside the funeral home to pay their respects to the family. They do not breathe, eat, talk, or play. They cannot see, feel or hear anything. ljc7, cvyyx, 2pi2, 8eiv, qjjp, gt9ruq, wi73, 638sg0, wb6q, ru6p,