On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:13:01 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>On Jun 17, 7:15*pm, Melba's Jammin' >
>wrote:
>> It was uninspired. *Deli potato salad (not bad), cole slaw (not too
>> bad), chips, pickle spears, roast beast sandwiches with plastic packets
>> of condiments; bars, cupcakes, and tasty carrot cake. *Plastic flatware
>> that looked like stainless steel, and paper plates and styro coffee
>> cups. *Lutherans are getting a bad name for their funeral luncheons, I
>> fear. *I'm thinking of converting to Judaism‹that was a nice spread. *
>
>
>
>Gee, when did it become de rigueur to feed the bunch after a funeral?
>Or is this a regional thang?
>
> Years ago, it was customary in my area to offer coffee, tea and petit
>fours back at the house. Now, it's become a spread for sure at the
>funeral parlor, or having the whole bunch at a resto for heavy duty
>appetizers and desserts. Did the resto industry work in league with
>the funeral directors to promote this? I wonder what's next.


When I was young the food was taken to the family's house and visitors
were invited to eat. We did not stay at the church or cemetery
afterwards.

Now that families are so spread out and the deceased may have spent
the last years at a nursing home, the churches seem to have taken over
the job of "dead spread." I talked to the woman in charge after one
of the lunches and she said that she called people to bring food. I
have no idea if she asked certain people to bring a specific item or
they brought what they wanted. At another funeral coffee, tea,
cookies finger sandwiches and cake were served at the church. I saw
members bringing things in.

I think it depends on the location and the church. I will say that I
have never had a "dead spread" at a restaurant.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)