Awaiting a visit

Estonians visit and light candles on the graves of loved ones on 2. november, hingede/päev (All Souls Day), as do many Europeans of various faiths. However, they don't take food to graveyards, as do people in Mexico for Dia de Muerto, the Day of the Dead; instead a table was set at home for the visiting souls of esi/vanemad (ancestors).

For Estonians, hingede/aeg, the period of souls, is long – all of November (also known as koolja/kuu, month of the dead and hinge/kuu, souls' month) and even up to jõulud (Christmas). And as Ahto Kaasik, who studies folk traditions and sacred places has said – "Souls don't follow a calender, they come when the weather is quiet, often foggy and mild". During this extended period, families would set a table for the deceased in the house or the saun every nelja/päev (Thursday) during the fall. Thursdays were considered lucky: good for sowing, making offerings, religious ceremonies, predictions and even witchcraft.