El día de los Muertos The Day of the Dead By: Carly Ainsworth

What is the Day of the Dead? The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that honors and remembers the deceased. On this day, the souls of the departed return home to the world of the living to be with friends and family.

Where is the Day of the Dead celebrated? The day of the dead is celebrated in Mexico. It is also celebrated in some parts of Latin America, the United States, and the Philippines.

Day of the Dead: Happy or Sad? The Mexican people teach their children that death is a part of life and death is apparent in everyday life. The Mexican culture does not cry on the Day of the Dead because the tears of loved ones must not make the path from the land of the dead slippery to the land of the living. On the Day of the Dead, the Mexican people feel both happy and sad. They are sad that their loved ones are no longer with them, but happy that they are home to visit on that day.

Day of the Dead Treats Pan de Muertos (Bread of the Dead) and Calaveras de Azúcar (Sugar Skulls) The knobs on the top of the Pan de Muertos represent skulls and the twists of dough along the bread represent bones. Calaveras de Azúcar are available in all sizes and are decorated with icing and sequins. They may also have a person’s name or a message written on them as well.

What are Calacas? Calacas (skeletons) are made in Mexico to teach the Mexican children to laugh at death instead of fearing it. Calacas come in several sizes and are commonly dressed up as brides, grooms, musicians and cowboys.

Preparing the Graves Before November 1 st friends and family members go to the graves of their loved ones to make sure that they are clean and decorated. Flowers and candles decorate the graves of the dead. The most popular flower for grave decorating is the orange marigold which Mexicans call cempasúchil, because orange is believed to be the sacred color of the dead.

Celebration Mass On November 1 st, families attend mass to welcome the arrival of the spirits. This day is known as the Día de los Angelitos (Day of the little angels) because the spirits of the children arrive on this day and the adults spirits will arrive at midnight.

Visiting the Graves After mass, families go to the cemetery to visit the graves of the deceased. They light candles to light the way back home for the spirits. They also bring the loved ones favorite foods and water to replenish them after their long journey.

Here come the Parades! On November 2 nd, many Mexican towns have parades. People in the parade wear masks or paint their faces to look like skeletons. Sometimes, life size coffins are carried with papier-mâché skeletons. Usually a man dressed as a bride leads the parade. This shows that like getting married, death is the beginning of a new life.

The Altar The Mexican families set up altars in their homes to welcome the souls of the deceased. A picture of the deceased is located at the top of the altar. A cross or a picture of the virgin of Guadalupe is always found on the altar and represents the Christian religion. Students, please click on the links below to view sample altars. Traditional Altar Modern Altar

Day of the Dead Quiz How much do you think you know about the Day of the Dead? Click on the yellow horn after the choice to choose your answer! 1) When is the Day of the Dead celebrated? a. April 1-2 b. May 1-2c. October 1-2d. November 1-2 2) What country did the Day of the Dead originate? a. Spainb. Mexicoc. the United States d. China 3) What does the Day of the Dead celebrate? a.the deceased souls that return on that dayb. witches that were killed in the 1800sc. Mexican’s love of goblinsd. deceased animals 4) What does Calavera mean? a.candyb. witchc. coffind. skull

Day of the Dead Quiz 5)What treats to the bakeries make in honor of the Day of the Dead? a. pan de calavera and pan de muertosb.pan de muertos and sugar coffins c. pan de muertos and calaveras de azucar d.sugar coffins and calaveras de azucar 6) What is the name of the flower used to decorate the graves? a. tulipb. rosec. daisyd. cempasuchil 7)What do the families bring to the graves? a. favorite foods and water b. clothing and blankets c. books and pictures d. toothbrush and toothpaste 8. What is used to decorate the altar? a. candles and food b. pictures of the deceased c. cempasuchil d. All of the above

Congratulations! You are an official Day of the Dead expert! American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language Standards (ACTFL) Addressed:

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