When thinking of a traditional Irish wake, many people conjure images of a big event that involves drinking and festivities. However, as an old funeral custom, an Irish wake is so much more.

Thanks to movies and popular culture, it's easy to think that, around the world, people's traditions are somewhat similar to our own. That's rarely the case though. You might find it hard to believe, but these funeral customs are practised in certain parts of the world to this day.

Humans have been dealing with death since the dawn of the species and it has led to some interesting funeral traditions. While they might seem bizarre at first glance, there’s mostly a good reason behind why people practised these customs.

In many cultures and religions – around the world and in South Africa – tombstones and their unveiling are important rituals in burial customs.

It’s hard to believe that 2009, the year that Avatar was the most popular movie and people danced to the Black Eyed Peas’ Boom Boom Pow, was 10 years ago. In that time, many fad diets have come, gone, and come again. Food science has changed vastly in the past few decades and has caused many heated debates on what’s healthy and unhealthy for the human body. Confusingly, different studies and research support both sides of food debates, so it’s hard to know what and how we should eat.

Being pregnant is a wonderful time which shouldn’t be overshadowed by worrying about how you’re going to afford being a parent. While medical aid may go a long way to help manage the costs of pre- and post-natal care, there are other expenses that you can be prepared for to ensure your pregnancy is nine months of bliss.