El Día de los Muertos
EL DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
The Day of the Dead is an incredible holiday celebrated in Mexico and other countries to honor those who have died. It is a happy celebration where relatives prepare altars (ofrendas) of particular objects that their deceased loved ones enjoyed. They take many things to the cemetery on November 1st and celebrate – sing and dance and talk about loved ones. Objects for the altars include the marigold flower, tamales, particular foods, sugar skulls and photos. Many families use 2 months salary to buy objects for the celebration and spend numerous hours preparing bread and food. People prepare art depicting many things as skeletons and skull images. It is not meant as a scary holiday.
The most popular is a sugar skull where you make a skull with pure sugar (and a little water and meringue powder). After the mold is cast, different bright frostings decorate the skull. Meringue powder is basically dried egg whites.
I tell the kids that the sugar skull is really for decoration not for eating!
Papel Picado = cut paper for decorations
Calavera = skull
Angelitos = little angels
Ofrendas = altars
Pan de muerto = day of the dead bread
Cempasuchil - wild marigold flowers
Calabaza = pumpkin
Máscara - masks
Dulces = sweets
Calaveras de azúcar = sugar skulls