A pagan celebrant has held a Viking-inspired living funeral for her mother, complete with Danish pastries, apple candles and references to Norse gods, after the sudden death of a close friend made her appreciate the “fragility of life” and inspired her to give her mum a “true celebration”. Anne-Marie Vognsen, 56, who is of Danish and Swedish descent but lives in North Suffolk with her mother, Mille Millard, 85, decided to become a pagan celebrant, often hosting Viking re-enactments at weddings, in 2021.
Anne-Marie began to explore the idea of living funerals as part of her celebrant business Our Freya’s Day after she lost a close friend to cancer in December 2022 – which left her feeling funerals were “very cold” because the deceased cannot hear attendees’ kind words. Her mother, Mille, is currently in good health, though Anne-Marie fears her sight and hearing may soon decline but, in May 2023, Anne-Marie threw her first-ever, living funeral and held it for her mother as she “wanted her to hear (her) love for her when she’s alive”.
There were a “few tears” on the “magical” day: the celebration featured pagan references to Idun, the goddess of youth, Danish pastries and photo albums, and took place in Anne-Marie’s three-acre back garden with 20 of her mother’s loved ones sharing stories and their appreciation of her. “It reminded us all that we don’t spend enough time with our family to actually get to know them and celebrate them – the day was a true celebration of mum,” Anne-Marie said.
