Curtains or Drapes

CURTAINS OR DRAPES - Represent mourning.  You know how some folks say a person “saw curtains” as a euphemism for death? Those curtains refer to the veil that separates the living from the dead who are mourning the end of a loved ones life on earth.

In the days when the body lay in state in the parlor, it was the custom to cover everything in black. Draperies, with their fancy frills and tassels, are more elaborate than a simple shroud. They allow the expression of mourning to linger long after the body has been taken out the front door and the accouterments have been stowed for the next death in the family.