In Denmark, we call the first Sunday in November: Allehelgens dag (All Saint’s day). This is a Christian holiday remembering the dead, but also Christian martyrs or saints. The celebration goes back to the Middle Ages, when all saints had their own day. But in the end there was just too many days, and around 1500 we just packed them all in to one day – November 1. Instead we prayed for the souls of the ordinary dead on All Soul’s day November 2.
When Denmark became protestant, we ditched the saints and the extra day, and the focus went to dead relatives (even though the day is still named after the saints which is kind of stupid…). No one really celebrates it!
I’ve decided to make my own celebration based on the traditions. On the first Sunday in November, we have a dinner with family and remember our dead loved ones.