Exactly. I think laughing at funerals is probably more widespread than people might think and is one of the human responses to very stressful situations. Not deemed socially 'appropriate', but not unusual. It does not indicate that the person laughing is amused - more that they are on the verge of hysteria and under emotional strain.
I attended a church christening service once with a fairly large family group. The church was packed as several children were being christened.
It was the kind of service where congregation members get up at the front and sing or do a reading. An ancient little lady and man got up to sing a song. They were 'harmonising' but neither of them really had it any longer and their high quavery disharmonising was somewhat amusing, even though I knew it was heartfelt.
I was just wincing to myself and thinking "Blimey, that really does sound a bit rough" when I detected a tremor in the pew on which I was sitting. I couldn't understand why the whole pew was shaking until I looked to my right and spotted three of my sister-in-laws literally shaking and crying with laughter (they are some of the worst inappropriate gigglers ever). That set my OH off and I just couldn't hold it any more. I managed not to guffaw out loud, but at one point a little wimpering noise escaped which set me off again.. It was moritfying, my eyes were streaming and my nose was running and I could only find one old tissue to try and cover my shame.....
How awkward(!). I agree about the Bib, I think laughing can be an instinctual reaction when your under emotional stress and don't know how to react to it or release it. I think its when you have those moments where everyone is stone silent and very serious, perhaps moments of silence at times, when you may be feeling very emotional and feel like there's pressure on you, sometimes that can somehow turn into laughter but its like a nervous laughter because you want to break the silence but maybe can't physically cry and you don't know how else to react?.
I remember watching an episode of CSI and one of the CSIs was laughing alot while bagging up evidence at a crime scene - someone asked why are you laughing? and she said the act of laughing actually suppresses your vomit reflex, so thats another fascinating fact(!) if your faced with a violent or gross situation, the best thing you can do if you don't want to puke is apparently laugh!.
worst moment ever was at a jazz festival. Went with a girlfriend. We went in to this room in a mansion house where four bands were due to play and somehow ended up sitting right at the front. The first band was billed as "experimental". What that turned out to be was four people making noises. A hippy with a guitar who didn't appear to know that there were five other strings than just the bass string. A guy on sax who seemed to think just blowing down the mouth piece and wiggling your hands about made you sound like Charlie Parker. And two women with an array of kitchen implements just making stupid noises with them. We were sat literally one yard away with our heads in our hands in tears of laughter. It wasn't exactly subtle.
Me too at my Great Grandmothers funeral. I got hiccups and then the giggles from trying to hiccup quietly
One does wonder if it's the age of the deceased that lessens the strictures of funereal protocol.
I wonder would the gigglers be as happy to admit their failing if they chortled uncontrollably while sitting next to the parents of a dead 2 year old ?
When we went to Whitby my Husband got a massive dollop of bird s*** dropped on him from above, he was trying to be discreet because there was alot of people around and he was embarrassed, but I just laughed so hysterically and was doubled over in the street laughing and pointing at him.
During the cleaning of a relative's body, a distant aunt was trying to insert a cotton wool wad up the body's bum when an expulsion of air emerged. Like a long, low fart. It startled me into giggling. I was told to stop, but it just made my giggling evolve into cheek-hurting laughter. I was thrown out of the room for disrupting the process.
My boyfriend suffers quite badly with his knee and every now and again it locks up and hes in agony. One night we were sleeping and the fire alarm went off for no apparent reason, he jumped up to turn it off and landed painfully hurting his knee, he also knocked into the wardrobe, hopped over screaming in agony bounced against the tv stand, bounced into the sofa and came hurtling headfirst towards me on the bed. He looked like a pinball and I was in hysterics. I felt like the ultimate b**** but I couldn't stop laughing even when I was asking if he was ok and getting ice and things to help him I had tears rolling down my face.
At my sisters funeral, we were getting in the funeral car to go from the church to the crematorium. My mum has arthritis and was having a bit of trouble getting in so the driver started grabbing her legs and manhandling her into the car. Once she got in and he had shut the door she said "he was determined I was getting in this car" and we all burst out laughing. I realise now it was just a release of tension but to anyone on the outside, it looked like my sisters closest family in hysterics at her funeral. My sister would have got it.
I wouldn't know where to start with me but my Mother once got the giggles when a pregnant woman fell over i the street yeeeears back. She was young and shy and I don't think she quite knew how to react. Nobody else around was amused funnily enough.
My uncle's funeral. It was when the vicar did a lengthy eulogy as unusually, my uncle was a churchgoer and so he had known him for years, and part of this was about my uncle being an incredible singer and head choirboy as a child...
Then the first hymn, song whatever you call it, and the vicar sang loud and proud... With the worst singing voice I have ever heard. Off key out if tune and impossibly ridiculous. I started laughing and couldnt stop. My SIL was livid with me.
Someone once pulled a gun on me as a threat and I was in hysterics. My shoulders were shaking and I had tears of laughter running down my face even though I was scared. .
Did they leave you alone?
Somebody once tried to mug my friend by threatening him with a knife. My friend ended up pissing himself laughing at this weedy 15 year old kid holding up a rusty kitchen knife so the mugger got really unnerved and ran off.
I burst out laughing when my ex told me over dinner in a posh restaurant that he thinks the spark in our relationship has fizzled out and we should split up. I really thought he was joking, but he was serious. My tears of laughter soon turned to tears of utter despair!
i had a boyfriend once who had a small yacht. which was moored up on the quayside. one day a speedboat had engine problems and drifted against the side of the yacht. boyfriend was holding it off to stop it from smashing his yacht when the engine suddenly fired up and speedboat took off. boyfriend went hurtling over the side headfirst. ok it was a dangerous situation as the tide was racing out and he was a big heavy man wearing a thick jumper. people on a nearby boat managed to haul him back to safety complete with the tip of his ciggy still gripped in his mouth. when he asked me if he looked funny as he went over the side, i started to laugh. i didnt stop laughing for 3 weeks. in a restaurant , the vision came back and off i went again. it wasnt just laughing . it was hysterical rolling on the floor stuff..it was the ciggy that did it. he'd been almost drowned, almost squashed between two yachts and almost swept out to sea by the fast tide, but he kept hold of that cig.
Went to a council meeting, this old man kept saying "I say, I say" and raising his arm every time he had something to say, Not sure why I found it so funny but I had to get up and leave and I was crying. Luckily I was at the back.
Another time at college was having a class conducted by a college professor from outside talking about planets. He also had a rather large assistant. Another class "mate" began to make jokes about the assistant and how he should dress up as a planet due to his size, I just started to laugh and could not stop. I felt bad after, teacher had to escort me and a few others out of the class.
I got the worst case of the giggles during my mums cremation
For whatever reason the Vicar who did the service had decided humour was the way to go and spent the entire time making jokes. The fact he hadn't paid much attention to what me and my Dad had told him about my Mum when he came to discuss things with us and kept getting everything wrong didn't help either, I couldn't stop giggling thinking of what my Mum would've made of it all.
One does wonder if it's the age of the deceased that lessens the strictures of funereal protocol.
I wonder would the gigglers be as happy to admit their failing if they chortled uncontrollably while sitting next to the parents of a dead 2 year old ?
I wouldn't have giggled at the funeral of a 3 year old who tragically died.
The funeral of an 80 year old man that used to beat the living shit out of his kids, on the other hand, was quite a celebration.
I was in the lounge watching tv when I heard an almighty commotion... Bang crash wallop!!!... Rushed to where the noise was coming from and there was hubby at the foot of the stairs howling in agony! He'd fallen from top to bottom and instead of me seeing to his needs and helping him up I cried tears of laughter til it hurt...his anger at my reaction made me laugh even more. Thinking of him now lying at the bottom of the stairs brings me to tears..lol
Comments
How awkward(!). I agree about the Bib, I think laughing can be an instinctual reaction when your under emotional stress and don't know how to react to it or release it. I think its when you have those moments where everyone is stone silent and very serious, perhaps moments of silence at times, when you may be feeling very emotional and feel like there's pressure on you, sometimes that can somehow turn into laughter but its like a nervous laughter because you want to break the silence but maybe can't physically cry and you don't know how else to react?.
I remember watching an episode of CSI and one of the CSIs was laughing alot while bagging up evidence at a crime scene - someone asked why are you laughing? and she said the act of laughing actually suppresses your vomit reflex, so thats another fascinating fact(!) if your faced with a violent or gross situation, the best thing you can do if you don't want to puke is apparently laugh!.
Me too at my Great Grandmothers funeral. I got hiccups and then the giggles from trying to hiccup quietly
One does wonder if it's the age of the deceased that lessens the strictures of funereal protocol.
I wonder would the gigglers be as happy to admit their failing if they chortled uncontrollably while sitting next to the parents of a dead 2 year old ?
My spelling is perfect .
just reading this had me laughing
Same here for a few funerals.
Emotions so high, it could go either way. Out of tune hymn singing and unintentional innuendoes normally do it.
It was just nervous laughter nothing to see the Doctor about. :rolleyes::yawn:
Then the first hymn, song whatever you call it, and the vicar sang loud and proud... With the worst singing voice I have ever heard. Off key out if tune and impossibly ridiculous. I started laughing and couldnt stop. My SIL was livid with me.
leeve himm alorn and stop beeing soe ceereus
Did they leave you alone?
Somebody once tried to mug my friend by threatening him with a knife. My friend ended up pissing himself laughing at this weedy 15 year old kid holding up a rusty kitchen knife so the mugger got really unnerved and ran off.
Another time at college was having a class conducted by a college professor from outside talking about planets. He also had a rather large assistant. Another class "mate" began to make jokes about the assistant and how he should dress up as a planet due to his size, I just started to laugh and could not stop. I felt bad after, teacher had to escort me and a few others out of the class.
It's the 'Giggle-Loop'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iKjkPgVQcE
For whatever reason the Vicar who did the service had decided humour was the way to go and spent the entire time making jokes. The fact he hadn't paid much attention to what me and my Dad had told him about my Mum when he came to discuss things with us and kept getting everything wrong didn't help either, I couldn't stop giggling thinking of what my Mum would've made of it all.
I wouldn't have giggled at the funeral of a 3 year old who tragically died.
The funeral of an 80 year old man that used to beat the living shit out of his kids, on the other hand, was quite a celebration.