Day of the Dead

If you thought Halloween was fun, you should go down to southern Mexico and celebrate the Day of the Dead. The holiday is devoted to celebrating and honoring loved ones that have passed away. Even though it sounds somber, the entire day is filled with happiness and celebration.

Day of the Dead is celebrated on the first two days of November, directly following Halloween. This is because the indigenous people believe that the spirits are released on Oct. 31. The people who celebrate this holiday go through extreme preparations and spend a lot of money to honor the deceased.  

One of the ways to honor ancestors is to make altars for their loved ones. These are elaborately decorated with flowers, food, drinks, candles and pictures to offer to the spirits. Later, the family will travel to the cemetery to clean the tombs of their loved ones. The families also spend time at festivals and parties celebrating those who have passed.

The holiday has seemed to recently make its way into America. It may be because we don’t have a day devoted to honoring our departed. I think we also are lured to the intricate sugar skulls and extravagant parties. I would love for America to start encompassing the rituals of this holiday, so we can finally honor our ancestors and pay respect to those who came before us.