All Saints/Souls Day

November 1 is All Saints/Souls Day in Germany and is an official holiday. People visit and spruce up the graves of loved ones. You can buy hearts or wreaths of various sizes made from evergreen and pine in the markets to bring to the cemeteries. Flowers are also popular.

Only the Catholics in Germany recognize All Saints/Souls Day, which has been practiced since 835. The Protestants established a "Sunday of the Dead" that takes place the Sunday before the First Sunday in Advent.