Cookies left for Santa or meatballs for a deceased grandfather during hingede/aeg, the time of souls – it all depends on where you're from. Photo: Riina Kindlam

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 los Muertos, the Day of the Dead; instead a table is 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, soul 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 calendar, 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.

On this particular night, the first Sunday in November, a little girl decided it was the right time to light a candle in the window and invite her Papa home. We were having liha/pallid (meatballs), so some were left out for him all night as well.

Riina Kindlam,

Tallinn

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Published: November 14 2017

Annual consumption of alcohol in Estonia declined to 9.9 liters of absolute  alcohol per adult resident in 2016, it appears from an annual review presented at a conference of the National Institute for Health Development (NIHD) on November 1, 2017.

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Published: November 22 2017

The Lithuanian embassy recently hosted the Baltic ambassadors and Baltic American community representatives for this autumn’s quarterly JBANC-Baltic embassies meeting. Ambassadors Lauri Lepik of Estonia and Rolandas Kriščiūnas of Lithuania were in attendance, while the Latvian embassy was represented by Deputy Chief of Mission Ilmars Breidaks.

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Published: November 12 2017

Estonians living abroad who are unable to remotely renew their ID card's  certificates on their own do not need to visit an Estonian embassy in person to apply for a new card; they can submit an application for a replacement card via email.

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Published: November 14 2017

Dear people awaiting the festivities! As of November 16th, there are only 100 days left until our great common birthday. What do you wish a century-old state and what do you give its people as a gift? We can think about our state and pat it on the shoulder for enduring, arrange communal work days in our hometowns, throw the party of the century, or create something that will be enjoyable for our children and grandchildren down the road.

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Published: November 22 2017

The Fourth Annual Baltic Christmas Fair will be held on December 2 at the Latvian House in San Francisco.

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Published: November 14 2017

Pictured: Jeff Zelek, Laila Oinas, Toomas Parratt, Age Landra Robinson, Jyri Erik Kork, Deborah Klepp, Arney Smits, Kadri Kallas-Zelek

Despite rain and cooler weather, Pillerkaar, Estonian Folk Dancers of the Washington DC Metro Area, performed in Fairfax, Virginia at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church Reformation 500 Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 29, 2017.

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Published: November 14 2017

National Council (EANC) invites the public to a special panel program on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Published: November 12 2017