Happy Halloween! Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of Mexican skeletons and sugar skulls appearing alongside traditional Halloween decorations. These fun, whimsical figures are popping up everywhere, so I wanted to write more about them and how they can help connect us to the celebration of life, death and our loved ones.
In Mexican and Latin communities throughout the world, “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) is observed on November 1st and 2nd in festivities to honour, commune with, pray for, and celebrate deceased loved ones as they visit the physical world in spirit on these special days. Related to the Catholic holidays of All Souls Day and All Saints Day, these celebrations have been tied to societies in pre-Hispanic and ancient Mexico as well.
Honoring the Dead on Halloween
All Saints Day, All Souls Day, All Hallows Eve, Halloween, all traditions seeped in mystery, and the mystical.
Traditions designed to remember the Dead, whether it be in Japan, Cambodia, Mexico or the U.S.A, October 31 to Nov 2 are dates honor all those who have passed before us. And we keep them alive through our memories.
All Saints’ Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven.