In our neighborhood there seems to be a pronounced decrease in the number of little kiddies dressing up in homemade costumes and trick or treating. My brother-in-law used to offer a small tipple to parents as a consolation prize and to ward off the chill of the evening.. Not so much anymore. This started me wondering whether the party was over. Maybe it’s just a geographical problem. In North America, the end of October means Halloween. In Mexico the celebrations are of an entirely different nature. Think about the characters in Tim Burton’s “The Corpse Bride” and then imagine them populating Mexico City and you get the idea.
La Calavera Catrina, the iconic figure associated with the Day of the Dead shares a remarkable resemblance to Emily, the corpse bride.
Day of the Dead is a Mexican Holiday called Dia de los Muertos. It may sound like Halloween because Dia de los Muertos traditionally begins at midnight the night of October 31 and continues until November 2, but that is where the similarity ends. In El Dia de los Muertos, memories of those who have died are celebrated in an exuberant fashion.
The Day of the Dead is a ritual the indigenous people of Mexico have been practicing for more than 3,000 years. It is still celebrated in Mexico where it is a National Holiday and where it coincides with the Christian holiday of All Saints Day, which brings me back to Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve. Skulls abound. Check out these fabulous Mexican creations.
We can give you a head start (excuse the pun)
…”Vince”
by Carboard Safari is in the store, ready for your crafty touches…or not. He’s great just the way he is.
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