Winter funerals often feel especially reflective. Shorter days, quieter landscapes, and colder weather can echo feelings of loss, remembrance, and stillness. Choosing the right winter funeral readings or poems can help create a service that feels comforting, thoughtful, and deeply personal.

At The Farewell Guide, we know that finding the right words during grief can be difficult. Below, we’ve gathered meaningful funeral poems for winter, along with reading ideas that offer warmth, hope, and reassurance.

Popular Winter Funeral Poems

These poems are often chosen for winter funerals because they reflect peace, rest, and enduring love:

• “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” – Mary Elizabeth Frye

• “She Is Gone (He Is Gone)” – David Harkins

• “Remember” – Christina Rossetti

• “Song of the Open Road” (excerpt) – Walt Whitman

• “Snow” – Louis MacNeice

• “In the Bleak Midwinter” – Christina Rossetti (for religious or seasonal services)

These readings work well in both traditional and non-religious funeral services.

Nature-Inspired Readings for Winter Funerals

Winter imagery can be soothing and symbolic, reflecting both endings and renewal:

• Poems referencing light in darkness

• Readings about rest, stillness, and peace

• Passages that speak of changing seasons and continuity

• Reflections on warmth returning after cold

Writers such as Mary Oliver, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Kahlil Gibran offer thoughtful pieces that sit beautifully within winter funeral services.

Short and Non-Religious Winter Funeral Readings

For families seeking modern or non-religious readings, shorter passages can be just as powerful:

• A brief poem about love lasting through all seasons

• A prose reflection on memory and presence

• A personal reading written by a family member or friend

• A favourite quote or book extract that reflects the person’s life

These options are particularly suitable for humanist funerals or intimate winter services.

Religious Readings Suitable for Winter Funerals

For faith-based services, winter can deepen spiritual reflection:

• Psalm 23 – Comfort and reassurance

• Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 – A time for every season

• John 14:1–3 – Hope and peace

• Hymns or carols with gentle winter themes

These readings offer familiarity and comfort during colder months.

Choosing the Right Reading for a Winter Funeral

When selecting funeral readings or poems for winter, consider:

• The personality and beliefs of the person being remembered

• Whether the service is religious, non-religious, or spiritual

• The tone you wish to set — reflective, hopeful, or celebratory

• The length of the service and number of readings included

There is no “right” or “wrong” choice — only what feels most meaningful to you and your family.

Finding Comfort Through Words

Winter funerals invite stillness and quiet reflection. The right winter funeral poem or reading can bring warmth, connection, and gentle hope, even on the coldest of days.

At The Farewell Guide, we’re here to help you find words that honour life, love, and remembrance — in every season.