Day of the Dead
This is one of my favorite holidays. I am not a big fan of Easter, Halloween and Valentine's Day. They all seem like another reason to look bad for not sending a card, for not giving a gift of some sort or decorating your home with stupid lights and statues.
Day of the Dead:
This is an ancient festivity that has been much transformed through the years, but which was intended in prehispanic Mexico to celebrate children and the dead. Hence, the best way to describe this Mexican holiday is to say that it is a time when Mexican families remember their dead, and the continuity of life.
Two important things to know about the Mexican Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) are:
1. It is a holiday with a complex history, and therefore its observance varies quite a bit by region and by degree of urbanization.
2. It is not a morbid occasion, but rather a festive time.
I love this holiday for all the things it represents that our culture doesn't. Our remembrances of the dead are woeful and morbid. We do not celebrate the person's life, we sulk and morn for our loss. I have many Day of the Dead figurines, because I think they are sweet. I also have goofy things like marionettes and lightswitch covers. Yes, I am a goober.
I highly suggest that this November 1st, you read a little bit about this very cool celebration and use it to remember the life of someone you have lost. In a way, you find them again.
posted by Metalmeredith @ 4:24 PM
1 Comments:
What a cool celebration. That is what it really should be though- celebrating a life lived well not lamenting loss.
L
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