Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead

This past week started a new celebration here in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico. This is the first Halloween in Mexico that Dan and I will experience.. We strolled along the streets of Chapala and on the river walk they had figures of Catrinas, one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead. I had to take pictures of them which I tried to capture in detail.




                     



                    

Then off we went to Ajijic where they had Zombies dancing to Michael Jackson’s song THRILLER. It was amazing to see the people, old and young dress up like zombies and dance.

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where the day is a bank holiday. The celebration takes place on October 31, November 1 and November 2, in connection with the Christian triduum of Hallowmas: All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. They also leave possessions of the deceased.

Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The holiday has spread throughout the world: In Brazil Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures,

Our daughter and boyfriend are coming Friday to enjoy the end of the Festivals with us. I am excited for this will be her first time visiting with us here in Mexico. More to come!!!!!!