As the 1st of November arrives, most places are filled with bustling crowds buying candles and flocking to flower stalls, eager to honor their departed loved ones. Families gather in cemeteries across the Philippines, preparing for a day rich in remembrance and tradition.

Yet, for many overseas Filipinos, this sacred tradition is a reminder of distance and separation; of what “home” and “family gatherings” used to feel like.

Having spent years away from home, the celebration of All Saints Day and All Souls Day may already feel like a distant echo. Many have begun to forgo the cherished Filipino traditions that once brought them comfort, their significance overshadowed by the life abroad.

For Allysa, who has lived in Australia for 11 years, the importance of these days has slipped from her mind. She admits that the anticipation she once felt for the first and second of November has faded, overshadowed by the demands of her new life.

“It really just feels like a normal day, but that could also be because I’m with my immediate family here in Australia.”

In Australia, All Saints and All Souls Days are not recognized as public holidays; they are mostly observed in quiet reverence in churches and homes. Most Australians attend special church services on both days, where they light candles, say prayers and reflect on the lives of the saints and their departed loved ones.