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After Halloween decorations have been stored and candy gathered, people just south of the border from us begin celebrating a holiday called “Dia de los Muertos,” or Day of the Dead. This Mexican holiday, celebrated from November 1-2, is known as “Dia de los Muertos,” is very different from our beloved Halloween, but can be just as fun to celebrate.
Day of the Dead is a holiday intended to honor and remember the dead. Despite the holiday’s name, Day of the Dead is not supposed to be a time of mourning. Quite contrary, it is a time of joy in which the living celebrate the life of loved ones who have passed away. People do this by building private altars over the graves of their relatives. Kids usually participate in the building of the altars by decorating the gravesite. The altar is the most important part of the Day of the Dead celebration. There are seven floors to the altar, and each one has a special meaning. On one layer, there are flower pedals and candles. The special flower used to decorate the graves is called the“Cempasuchil” flower, or the dead man’s flower. Other things that kids use to decorate the altar are “calaveritas”, candy skulls made of sugar. Children eat these sugar skulls as a special Day of the Dead treat, much like we would eat candy apples on Halloween. Pictures of the deceased are also placed over the grave in order to remember how loved ones looked when they were alive. Families bring all these things to the grave as “ofrendas,” or offerings, for their visit.
Apart from building the altars, people celebrate Dia De los Muertos by holding parades in which people dress up as mummies, ghouls and skeletons. These parades are normally very lively and fun with music and dancing. They are intended to make fun of death so that people will not fear it but instead live along side it. This idea is very different from Halloween here in the United States, where we see Halloween as a time for spooky Haunted Houses or scary movie marathons. We normally dress up as people we admire or as scary figures like witches and vampires. The food that we eat around Halloween differs as well. In Mexico, children enjoy tasty Day of the Dead treats such as “pan de muerto”, or “bread of the dead.” This bread, a favorite among the kids, is sweet and baked only on this day. Other favorite treats are the “calaveritas,” candied pumpkin and a favorite dish of the deceased relative. A traditional drink served during Day of the Dead is called “atole,” a warm corn-based drink. This is very different from our usual apple cider that we tend to serve around Halloween. Our Halloween treats are usually all kinds of candies, including candy corn and candy apples.
While Mexico’s “Dia de los Muertos” may be a little different than our Halloween, both holidays involve dressing up, eating delicious treats and celebrating with friends and family. | 
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October 2009
Photo on magazine cover and article are courtesy of Flickr.com/calsidyrose
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