2 November 2022

Austria Insight: From commemorating the dead on All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day to celebrating life at Christmas

All Saints' Day on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November are reserved in Austria for the commemoration of departed family members and friends. It's the most contemplative time of the year for thoughts about the meaning and purpose of living. That enjoying the moment and conscious living goes hand in hand can be one of the findings when life and death are thought of at once. Traditionally, the city of Vienna appears quieter on these two days. The first and second November are used for visits to cemeteries. 1st November is a public holiday. 2nd November is a normal work day but with the unspoken rule to respect it as a day of remembrance. All Souls' Day is not a day full of parties, but is used to look into the future of the celebration of life. One of the outlooks which are traditionally practiced is the preview of markets on occasion of Christmas, the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. A well curated list of Christmas Markets is published for example at austria.info.

Image: The picture shows some of the wooden booths of the Christmas Village (Weihnachtsdorf) on Maria Theresien Square in Vienna between the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Naturhistorisches Museum; on view is the Museum of Natural History Museum. The Weihnachtsdorf with more than 70 handicrafts, culinary,... stands will be open this year from 16 November until 23 December.