Cemetery Etiquette
Cemetery Etiquette
Cemeteries are a place of peace and healing. When you are visiting a loved one or attending a graveside service visitors should:
Be Sympathetic
Do not play loud music in cars, with the windows down, for everyone to hear. Try to have conversations quietly, and avoid being distracting to those who are grieving.
Keep Children Monitored
No running, yelling, or rolling around on the ground. This is not a place for childhood games. Don't let them play on any of the monuments. While it is good to get children used to paying respects at a cemetery, they often don't fully understand the meaning of everything in the cemetery.
Do Your Best Not to Walk Over the Graves
Try to keep groups and family on the paths between the resting places of others. Avoid standing on the burial place of other's loved ones.
Follow Cemetery Rules
Many cemeteries have a sign near the entrance stating hours, rules about decorations, etc. Rules about decorations serve to make sure the cemetery doesn't collect too much debris that the caretakers need to clean up. Flowers and other things can blow in the wind. It would be especially nice if any trash along the way was picked up, regardless of who left it.
Obey Curfew & Hours of Operation
Most cemeteries are open from dawn to dusk. Do not enter the cemeteries after dark and follow the rules set in place by each specific cemetery.
Don't Litter
Often in cemeteries things are left on the graveside. Consult the rules of your cemetery to make sure you don't accidentally leave tributes that could litter the cemetery. This creates extra work for the caretakers, and shows disrespect to the other families who come to mourn their loved ones. “Pack your trash” is a good rule of thumb: take your refuse with you when you go, or put it in trash receptacles.
Leash Your Pets
Often cemeteries are great places to walk and feel at peace. If you bring your pet please ensure they are leashed and that you to clean up after them if need be.
Follow the Roadways and Do Not Drive on the Grass
Drive slowly and obey any traffic signs posted in the cemetery. Be careful to avoid any people since they might be upset and not paying complete attention to where they are going.
Don't Touch any Monuments or Gravestones.
They are very meaningful to the families who placed them there. In our historic city of New Orleans are older memorials might be in disrepair and might fall apart under the slightest touch. Be polite of these memorials and the rich history they hold.
Do Not Take Photos of Other People or Other Funerals
A time of grief is when most of us are most vulnerable, be considerate and do not make this time any harder for any family. No matter the type of service or honors they may be giving. This is a very private time for people. It's best to steer clear of any funerals occurring, and don't get in the way of funeral processions.