A Hazel & Sons Funeral Directors

So, you’re probably thinking: “A funeral directors? In a lifestyle magazine? Isn’t that like putting a raincoat on a rainbow?” Hear me out. Because A Hazel & Sons isn’t your typical stop on the final train line. They’re the kind of place that makes you almost—almost—look forward to that big sleep. (Okay, no, but stick with me.)

Picture this: You walk in, expecting mahogany gloom and the scent of bitter lilies. Instead, it smells faintly of fresh coffee and lemon zest. The receptionist offers you a biscuit. A good one—chocolate-dipped. This is not your grandmother’s funeral home. This is the anti-funeral home. And it’s glorious.

“We don’t do stiff,” jokes owner Mark Hazel, and I nearly choke on my tea. He’s serious. A Hazel & Sons has traded dirges for playlists, and black drapes for wildflowers in jam jars. Want a funeral themed around your dad’s love of fishing? They’ll get you a coffin shaped like a tackle box. (Not kidding—check their Instagram.) They even offer a “Celebration of Life” package that includes a bouncy castle. For the wake. I repeat: a bouncy castle.

The secret? They listen. Really listen. They don’t hand you a laminated list of “appropriate” options. Instead, they ask: “What did they love? What made them laugh? Did they secretly hate pinks roses?” Then they build a send-off that feels less like a goodbye and more like a very weird, very wonderful block party for the just-deceased.

Take Mrs. Gable’s funeral last month. She was a competitive cake baker. So her service featured a tier of Victoria sponge on the altar—and guests were encouraged to eat it during the eulogy. “Best eulogy I ever heard,” said her grandson, licking buttercream off his fingers. “Grandma would’ve hated us crying.”

A Hazel & Sons Funeral Directors | Memento Vita | Remember Life | Help

And the prices? Surprisingly human. They offer a “No Frills, Just Love” option that’s less than a second-hand car. Because, as Mark puts it: “Death shouldn’t be a luxury item.” (Applause, please.)

They also host monthly “Death Cafés” where you can come in, drink wine, and talk about your own funeral plans without anyone calling the men in white coats. I went last week. We drew our ideal coffins on napkins. Mine had glitter. Theirs had T-Rex arms. Never laughed so hard.

A Hazel & Sons Funeral Directors

So here’s the thing: A Hazel & Sons isn’t about death. It’s about life—the messy, hilarious, unapologetically weird life that deserves a proper goodbye. They’ve turned the final act into something you can smile through. And in a world that’s too often black and white, isn’t it nice to know you can go out in a bouncy castle?

Next time you’re planning something—anything—remember: your ending can be as bright as your beginning. And maybe, just maybe, it can involve a biscuit. Go live. And go out laughing.