Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)


Tonight is one of my favorite Hispanic festivals "Dia de los Muertos." Always the day after Halloween, like most Hispanic religious celebrations it is fun as well as meaningful. A welcoming back of the dead to visit the living. Alters are built commemorating a the dead loved ones of a family, decorated with flowers, candles, and things that are reminders of that person. Special foods are also included, and in some villages in Mexico this is performed in a midnight ritual at the cemetery. Of course it can be as rowdy a party as Halloween is here, but it is a beautiful custom with a lot of spiritual meaning. I uploaded a few of my favorite pictures of some of the festival highlights. I always love the sugar skulls the most, used to decorate the alters and to remind children death is always with us, something to live with and not fear. I didn't build an alter this year, but I do take the time now to honor those I have loved that have passed by writing this.

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