Day of the Dead

Hello and Happy Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to you all,

In case you don't know, Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican Celebration today to honor and remember relatives that have have passed away. The ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico believed that the souls of the dead returned each year to visit with their still-living relatives to celebrate with food, drink and festivities at a family reunion.

Families prepare shrines and altars in honor of the departed. They place offerings of food such as bread, beans, rice and chicken, (sometimes Beer or Tequila) lit candles, sweets - including skulls made of sugar - incense, yellow marigolds (zempasuchil), and a photo of the departed soul on a small decorated altar.

Day of the Dead celebrations include a day spent at the cemetary, cleaning and decorating family graves and decorating the plot or crypt with elaborate banners, votive candles and skeletons in festive colorful clothing posed at merrymaking. Often there is music and fireworks in the evening and families spend the entire night camped out in the cemetary, celebrating the deceased.

There are a lot of great articles and pictures available on the Web about Day of the Dead if you wish to read more about it.

In other news I am really trying hard to get in the Christmas Spirit and get some things made. I actually got some ideas sketched out and am going to work on them this weekend.

I hope you all had a Happy and safe Halloween!