Jenna

Halloween, this is a common holiday celebrated by many people. What you don't know is that before Halloween people in Mexico, and other Spanish countries, celebrated Day of The Dead. The reason for this holiday is to remember loved ones who have passed. They do it to show their optimism of death, and the smooth transfer from one state of being to another. The celebration begins on the very last days of October and the first few days of November. Mexico honors, "Cult of Death," "Day of The Dead," "Xantolo," or "All Soul's Day," on November 1st and 2nd like many other Latin countries. Day of the Dead is a celebration of death, "not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where death takes a lively, friendly expression." On November 1st, souls of you loved ones lost are honored, while on November 2nd they remember adults who have passed. Day of The Dead was created a long time ago to blend Roman Catholic beliefs with pre-colony Mexico; this is why Xantolo (or Day of The Dead) falls on November 2nd, which just happens to be the same day as All Souls' Day, the Catholic version of Day of The Dead. To celebrate Day of The Dead, people in Mexico hold large parade and wear elaborate costumes to show the eccentric view of memory. Many of the men and women create sugar skills that have very intricate designs painted on them; they are so beautiful, it's hard to imagine eating them! Many people write the name of a friend, and then give it to said friend so they can "eat their death." Also, couples will make these sugar skulls, write their spouse's name and "give them their soul," in a way. Another way many individuals honor their ancestors is to go and visit the graveyard they were buried and host vigils, a way of including their past in their present. Many places also present "Calaveras", which are poems that mock death. On the altar of remembrance, people honor dead loved ones by putting "fruits, vegetables and the special dishes prepared for the soul. This altar will also have items that once belonged to the deceased," Populations usually start prepping in the third week of October. Though the altars and rituals vary from place to place, they all have a common purpose. No matter what, “…Day of The Dead is a time of reflection about the meaning of life…Death in many situations imparts a feeling of pain and loss…For others, death is transcendence, transformation and resurrection. During the celebration of Day of The Dead all those feelings and beliefs come together in a season that brings to life the memory of the loved ones.” The difference between Day of The Dead and Halloween highly outweigh the similarities. While Day of The Dead celebrates dead loved ones, Halloween is to celebrate the mythical side of things. While they both dress up in elaborate costumes, the reasons for doing so differ. They both believe that during this time, the separation between the spirit world and our world is the thinnest. Many people believe Halloween is the same as Day of The Dead. Though they are two separate holidays, their meanings are closer than any other, so it isn’t odd that one always follows the other. by: Jenna G.