DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
The Day of the Dead is a interesting holiday celebrated every year in Central and Southern Mexico on Novemeber 1st and 2nd straight after Halloween.
Even though this clashes with the Catholic holiday called all souls and All saints day, people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honouring their passed love ones.
It is believed that on midnight on the 31st October, heavens Gates are opened and the spirits of passed children are allowed to reunit with their love ones for 24hours. It’s believed that on the 2nd if November passed adults are also allowed to come from heaven to also be reunited with their love ones to enjoy the festivities.
In some Indian villages, beautiful alters are made within each home. These alters are normally decorated with lots of flowers, candles, mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of turkey, sweets, chocolate and Day of the Dead Breads and water for weary spirits.
Toys and candles are left for the spirits of the children who are expected to arrive in the 1st and cigarettes and shots of mezcal for the adults arriving on the 2nd.
Sugar skulls and folk art skeletons are brought from markets and provide the custom made alters with its finishing touch.
This is a extremely expensive holiday and many save for at least 2 months in order to celebrate in honouring their dead relatives. There is a strong belief in all who celebrate that the spirits visiting will provide good luck, protection and wisdom.
Festivities are normally taken to the cemetery on the 2nd of November where during the day relatives will clean their love ones tombs, play cards, listen to music and generally reminisce about their passed loves ones…
Sounds lovely doesn’t it, honouring the dead instead of being scared of the dead.