Someday, you will die. If your body is handled like that of most Americans, you will be placed in the care of a funeral parlor. You will be embalmed as soon as possible in order to keep your appearance as lifelike as possible. Most funeral parlors strongly recommend or require embalming for an open-casket funeral which, on top of siphoning hundreds of dollars to the parlor from your grieving family, also ensures that you will look and smell your very best for your funeral.