Tell your friend to put the burial instructions for her bear elsewhere. The will is often read well after burial. Give those instructions to the family and to the funeral home as well. Her wishes are more likely to be followed this way.
My daughter recently adopted an adorable orange (& white) kitten. She has named him Dorian. Must be a popular name right now. (Sorry I didn’t think of it when naming my cat, Earl Grey!)
No big celebrations that I know of here in the USA. A former coworker from England usually holds a bonfire with fireworks and a potluck every 5th of November. Usually pretty chilly this time of year in NH though.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.