What Is Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos in Spanish, is a Mexican tradition that can be traced back over 3,000 years. In its entirety, Day of the Dead is an annual celebration held to remember loved ones that have passed away, both in the course of the previous year and throughout all generations. Culturally, people believe that the souls of their departed loved ones come down from the afterlife for 24 hours to celebrate. Families use this time to gather together, build memorial altars (ofrendas) and share memories of their dearly departed in a festival that spans over a couple of days in November.
While the timelines overlap and there are some similar practices, Day of the Dead is not Mexican Halloween. Day of the Dead and Halloween are similar in some ways, but entirely unrelated in their origins. Day of the Dead comes from Mexico, while Halloween originates from Europe. Mexicans gather together and have fun eating sweets and traditional foods, but they do not go trick or treating!
Mexican Day of the Dead is not a Christian holiday, either. It existed long before the Spanish invaders spread Christianity through Latin America. However, as time went on and Mexico became a predominantly Catholic territory, the festival was moved to align with the Catholic observance of All Souls Day on the liturgical calendar.
When Is Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead itself is always celebrated on November 2nd. On the Catholic liturgical calendar, All Souls Day is always November 2nd and All Saints Day is always November 1st. Day of the Dead is a culturally fused expression of these celebrations. As a result, many households and cities celebrate Day of the Dead from October 31st through November 2nd.
While the celebrations may range anywhere from one to three days, most places celebrate just on November 1st and November 2nd. November 1st is usually celebrated as Dia de los Angelitos, or Day of the Little Angels, and families remember any children that have passed away. The late night and early morning leading into November 2nd is usually celebrated as Dia de los Difuntos, or Day of the Deceased, and families remember any adults that have passed away. The daytime of November 2nd is then celebrated as Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, where all deceased people from across the generations are remembered.
Is Day of the Dead Family Friendly?
Day of the Dead is one of the most family friendly celebrations in the world! After all, it is a holiday designed explicitly to remember deceased family members. The celebrations are absolutely safe for children, and some cities even run special programs for children throughout the festivities. As long as you don’t mind your children staying up past their bedtimes, you have nothing to worry about!
The town is now starting to get ready for the celebrations..
Stay safe and healthy!,
Yashi Kochi!
No comments:
Post a Comment