Mexican Celebration- the Days of the Dead

In the U.S., most of us celebrate Halloween. We typically dress up in costumes and parade around town, going door to door asking for tricks or treats. Of course, we all really only want the treats. As we are parading about in costumes, we rarely, if ever think of how this tradition originated. Did you ever wonder how other countries celebrate this time of year?

In Mexico, they celebrate a similar holiday. It is similar, but not entirely the same. They celebrate what is known as The Days of the Dead. It is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It is said that these two days are when all of the souls of those that have died are able to return to the living world and be with their families and friends to rejoice and celebrate. Elders believe that even though the living are sad when their deceased loved ones must go again, they must not cry. They believe that if they cry it will cause the pathway for the dead to become slippery.

The first Day of the Dead is usually reserved for the children. This day, they honor the souls of the little ones who have passed. On this day, you will see toys and balloons on the graves of the little ones who have passed away. The second Day of the Dead is reserved for the adults who have passed. On this day, you will see graves covered with the dead person's favorite foods, drinks, and even belongings. Flowers and candles are placed on the graves too. These things are believed to light the person's way back from the dead for this celebration. Both nights, you can see people of all ages participating in the rituals that are custom. They hold vigils in the town cemetery to honor the dead. Food and candy are shared amongst the living and the dead.

Preparations for the Days of the Dead celebrations begin weeks in advance. Statues, candies, breads and other gifts believed to please the dead are seen all over in the marketplace. Skeletons, skulls, and red devils are all over and depicted as happily celebrating. The holiday foods are all molded to look like the skeleton of death. All holiday treats are consumed in abundance. This is a very good time of year for the Mexican economy because of the happy expenditures.

The Aztecs believed that death was a portal to other existences and was a natural and mystical occurrence. Families honored their dead, and on the Days of the Dead, the days when they believe that the living and the dead are reunited, they welcome the dead with a great respect . These beliefs are the basis of today's celebrations.

The number one symbol for the Days of the Dead is a skull or skeleton, or "calavera". It is not shown to scare or terrorize people, but represent the playfulness of the dead as they mimic the living and run around amongst us. You will also see the Devil playing with the skeletons. The Devil comes from the Catholic belief that if we do not follow God, we will be banished to Purgatory or Hell.

It is believed that the dead love sugar. Because of this, candy is made in abundance. Candy skulls, made from a sugar paste and cast in molds, are decorated with colorful foil eyes and icing. They have names written on them, and if a person cannot find their name, they van have one of these candy skulls made just for them. These candies are stacked in huge pyramids all throughout the marketplace. They are considered to be gifts and tokens of love. You can also find these candies on alters and grave sites, placed there to show love to the dead.

There is also a special bread made for the dead. It is a very sweet bread that is only baked for these special days. It is covered with sugar and the bumps of sugar are to remind people of the bones of the dead. The drink that is custom to this celebration is a fermented drink that is made from cactus. It is called pulque, and it is also shared with the dead.

It is believed that the dead are full of life. This belief is why you can see people dressed in costumes during this celebration. They frolic around in costumes mimicking the dead, just as they believe that the dead return on these two days to celebrate and play with them.

Elders believe that we must remember the dead. They say that the dead want us and love us very much. They also believe that the dead talk to us all of the time and tell us not to forget. Each time a flame burns high and then dies out, it is supposed to be the dead telling us not to forget them. They want to be with us and it is believed that on November 1st and 2nd, the dead are re-united with the living, and they should be treated with great respect and joy. You often hear an elder tell a child to bring the special bread and offer it to their ancestors because they are hungry, or offer them a sugar skull so they know you have not forgotten them.