Day of the Dead 2010

This was the first year we celebrated Day of the Dead with Sophia. In past years, she just seemed too young to really understand (and frankly, when something isn't necessary around here during high wedding season, it sometimes just doesn't get done!) This year, though, we spent so much time with her Halloween party, trick-or-treating and pumkin-carving, that Pablo and I both really wanted to make sure to dedicate some time to the November 2nd Mexican celebration of Day of the Dead.


This day, if witnessed in some of the more colonial cities in Mexico, is truly amazing! (Puerto Vallarta, being so Americanized does about 70% Halloween and 30% Day of the Dead, so in order for Soph to really learn about it, we have to make sure and honor the day at home.) On November 2nd, families build little "altars" in their homes and on the streets in dedication of their loved ones who have passed away. It isn't a cult-type altar - haha - we aren't trying to bring them back - it is just a special day to remember them and honor their lives. The altars can become really elaborate (for those who have loooots of time on their hands)! Ours was simple but Sophia was really excited about it, so I'm glad we did it with her!

On our little altar, we placed a photo of my Jung Grandparents and photos of Pablo's grandparents who have all passed away. The only picture missing was a photo of my Dad's dad who died when he was a teenager, but well, that was before digital times and no photo was easily available to email. (Will need to work ahead on that for next year!)


We hung papel picado (decoratively cut tissue paper) around the edge of the altar and decorated with bright flowers and a hanging calavera (dancing skeleton) mobile. Soph also brought home from school a calavera head "worksheet" decorated with glitter yesterday, so that also got hung proudly next to the altar. Last but not least, a Pan de Muertos, famous all over Mexico in early November. This is a sweet bread that is only made for this particular day!



(Soph was quite frankly very interested in the Pan de Muertos and thought her finger should be permanently placed in the sugar coating.)




Oh, and this morning when Soph woke up to find the Pan de Muertos missing from the altar, she assumed that the grandparents had eaten it all up! (And they hadn't even shared with her - which brought tears and a minor meltdown. Whatever will happen when Santa eats all the cookies and drinks up all the milk!?!)

Alright, that wraps it up for end-of-October-beginning-of-November celebrations! We have three weddings in the next week so we'll be absent until mid-November when I'm sure we'll be back to try to put together a quazi-Thanksgiving dinner! Aaaah, what I wouldn't do for a stuffed turkey right now.