Glass caskets, a clear choice?

More persons are opting to bury their loved ones in style with the use of more extravagant funeral processions and decorations.

One addition to this extravagance is the use of glass caskets.

Tommy Thompson, director of Brite Lite Funeral Services and Supplies, said that the demand for glass caskets is growing in Jamaica.

Thompson told THE STAR that the choice of using the glass caskets depends on the client, and how their family wants to send off their loved one.

He said that the glass coffins also help to preserve some reverence for the deceased.

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"Sometimes, persons don't want other people to touch the body or don't want a person to get too close and bounce over the coffin - the glass coffin helps to prevent those things from happening," he said.

The Brite Lite director added that depending on how well-known the deceased was, persons would be fascinated in seeing how that person is "sent-off".

"When you have an important or popular person, people want to see what they are wearing, what kinda watch they have, the jewellery, you know," he said.

However, not all persons share Thompson's views about using glass coffins.

Some persons find that exposing the body takes away from the seriousness of the funeral.

"I believe it takes away from the reverence that is meant at a funeral. I am not a fan of persons viewing a body at a funeral, but if it's going to be done, you don't need a glass coffin," Nick Grayson told THE STAR.

Jessica Tyndale shared the same view as Nick, stating that she thinks persons who use glass coffins are too "show-off".

"No, me nuh like dem. Save that for the people who like duppy," she said.