DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Is this Halloween?

LA HISTORIA  Dia de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated on November 1 st and 2 nd. Although marked throughout Latin America, Dia de los Muertos is most strongly associated with Mexico, where the tradition originated. Dia de los Muertos honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations, a typically Latin American custom that combines indigenous Aztec ritual with Catholicism, brought to the region by Spanish conquistadores. (Dia de los Muertos is celebrated on All Saints Day and All Souls Day, minor holidays in the Catholic calendar.)

¿COMO SE CELEBRA?  Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, Dia de los Muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life. Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community. On Dia de los Muertos, it is thought that the dead become part of the community and share celebrations with their loved ones by being remembered.

LAS CELEBRACIONES

LOS SÍMBOLOS  The most familiar symbol of Dia de los Muertos may be the calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls), which appear everywhere during the holiday: in candied sweets, as parade masks, as dolls. Calacas and calaveras are almost always portrayed as enjoying life, often in fancy clothes and entertaining situations

LAS CALACAS O CALAVERAS

LOS CATRINES

CEMPASÚCHIL Y VELADORAS

PAN DE MUERTOS

FAST FACTS  Family members often clean and decorate the graves of loved ones on Dia de los Muertos.  In addition to celebrations, the dead are honored on Dia de los Muertos with ofrendas—small, personal altars honoring one person. Ofrendas often have flowers, candles, food, drinks, photos, and personal mementos of the person being remembered.  Dia de los Muertos is actually Dias de los Muertos the holiday is spread over two days. November 1 is Dia de los Inocentes, honoring children who have died. Graves are decorated with white orchids and baby's breath. November 2 is Dia de los Muertos, honoring adults, whose graves are decorated with bright orange marigolds.

EL PANTEÓN Y OFRENDAS

HALLOWEEN’S HISTORY  Although it only became popular in America in the early 1900's, Halloween dates back almost 2,000 years when it marked the Celtic New Year. Originally known as Samhain, which means "summer's end" in Gaelic, many Halloween customs and traditions have roots in pagan beliefs and Irish folklore. These customs became popular in America when many Irish fled their country to escape the potato famine of 1846.

THE SYMBOLS The meaning behind Jack o' Lanterns is a rather tragic tale. As the story goes, a drunken farmer named Stingy Jack was turned away from both heaven and hell. As Jack wandered the darkness of purgatory, he made a lantern out of a carved out turnip and a lump of coal to help light the way and guide his lost soul.  The Celtics believed that placing Jack o' Lanterns outside helped guide lost souls home as they wandered the streets during Samhain. The scary carved faced on each also served to scare evil spirits away. When the potato famine forced many families to flee to America they began using pumpkins as a substitute since they were much easier to come by.

JACK O LANTERN

CELEBRATIONS  Since Samhain marked the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one, the Celtics believed the past and the present were closely linked during this time, allowing the lines between the living and dead to be blurred and the spirits of the deceased to mingle with the living.  They believed that visiting ghosts would disguise themselves in human form and knock on doors asking for money or food. If they were turned away empty-handed, the homeowner risked angering the spirit and being cursed or haunted.  Another Celtic myth was that dressing up as a ghoul or ghost would fool any evil spirits so that the spirits would not try to take their soul.

TRICK OR TREATING & COSTUMES

COMPARACIONES  Is Dia de los Muertos Halloween? What are some likenesses and differences?  Why do you think Dia de los Muertos is not a widely celebrated American or Canadian holiday?

CRÉDITOS Read more on Dia de los Muertos on Read more on Halloween on FamilyEducation: halloween/72770.html#ixzz3pmMtzhfuhttp://fun.familyeducation.com/history-of- halloween/72770.html#ixzz3pmMtzhfu