Funeral Speeches are probably the most challenging speeches of all. It is hard to capture the life of a person in a few paragraphs and a few minutes.
Did you see Michael Jackson‘s memorial service this week? One of the most touching moments was when Michael’s daughter Paris came up to the microphone. She didn’t say much. But what she said touched everyone in the audience.

Not everybody’s eulogy will be as short as Paris Jackson’s. But you should strive to include as much emotion as she did. Funeral speeches are meant to comfort the grieving families. They should bring the deceased to life for those who may not have known him or her well. They can include some surprises even for closer relatives but above all they should remind everyone of happy times with the deceased.

If a person lived a long and fulfilled life the funeral speech will not be the same as when a child dies or a young person is killed in a traffic accident. After all, what comfort can there be for the loss of a beloved child? What kind of funeral speech shoudl there be if the death was so sudden that everyone is in a state of shock? Such funeral speeches call out for imagination and full understanding of a terrible loss.

Funeral speeches must be sensitive to the feelings of everyone at the funeral. It is extremely important that you do not say anything to offend anyone or disrupt the ceremony.

Every funeral speech is different because every person is different and should be honored in an individual way. We are told only to speak well of the deceased. The main reason for that is not to upset the living. Nobody wants you to stand up in church and speak, however sympathetic, about alcoholism or debt. or Funeral speeches are after all a public declaration of personal and private feelings. But not matter how you feel, every eulogy should end on a positive note. Even non-believers need your assertion that a person will live on, even if they don’t believe in a paradise. Always remember that you cannot undo what you say in any speech. So whatever you say, especially with funeral speeches, say it kindly.

Related articles

• Michael Jackson’s 11-Year-Old Daughter’s Heartfelt Tribute To Her Father (themoderatevoice.com)
• How to Write a Speech – Funeral Speeches (howtowriteaspeech.net)

Technorati Tags: Death, Death Care, Family, Funeral, Funeral Services, Funeral Speeches, Michael Jackson, Paris, Paris Jackson

Birthday celebrations oftentimes call for birthday speeches.  This is the moment when everyone expects to hear a beautiful and well written speech. But often small mistakes ruin not only the speech but also the party atmosphere.

Here are the ten most important tips to consider if you want to write birthday speeches.

1. Your birthday speech should be clear, optimistic, upbeat and easily understandable to all.
2. Don’t mention the age of the celebrant unless it’s a special anniversary like the 50th or 21st birthday.
3. Don’t mention embarrassing stuff about the celebrant. He or she may not like everybody to know that they have a drinking problem or have spent time in jail.
4. Never tell a rude story about the celebrant. Birthdays usually are family events.
5. Never speak about sad events in the celebrant’s life. Anniversaries are celebrations of fun and joy and the reference to a sad time will probably kill the serenity. There may be exceptions but if you’re unsure stay away from these topics.
6. Don’t try too hard to be funny. Comedians are qualified, trained experts with perfect timing. Most of us are not able to do it that good.  It’s always better to be genuine than to spoil the fun with the wrong jokes.
7. Make sure your speech doesn’t offend anyone.
8. Never talk about deceased family members or friends, unless the guest of honor does so himself or if it is appropriate to say that the departed is certainly there in spirit. Sometimes the memory of death is still fresh and it is always better to avoid those subjects.
9. Never call the celebrant by his or her pet name. A husband may not want all his colleagues to know what hsi wife calls him at home. Or a teenager might be embarrassed to be presented as mama’s boy. But of course you can call a Thomas Tom.
10. Avoid writing reams. The guests are there to celebrate, not to listen to an half-hour long speech. Keep your birthday speeches between three to five minutes.

Related articles

• How To Write Entertaining Birthday Speeches (howtowriteaspeech.net)

Technorati Tags: Alcoholism, Birthday, Birthday Speeches, Death, Family, Holidays, How To Write A Speech, Relationships, Speech Technology