Mexico Celebrating the Day of the Dead

Mexico Celebrating the Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome the return of the souls of their deceased relatives for a short reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. A combination of Mesoamerican rituals and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated every year from October 31 to November 2. While October 31 is Halloween, November 2 is the Day of All Spirits or the Day of the Dead.

Day of the Dead

For the past two days, people in Mexico and other Latin American countries have been celebrating Día de Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, paying homage to departed family members and honoring death as a part of life. The parades feature representations of the character La Catrina, frightful skeletons, and other icons of death and the underworld.

The New Paltz Rural Cemetery will sponsor the annual Day of Veneration Day of the Dead on Sunday, November 6.

Three years ago, New Baltz Mayor Tim Rogers declared this day the first Sunday in November public holiday. There will be music, flowers and decorations used to decorate the sites of your family and friends and take them home to create a place for those who are buried.

All over the Spanish world and within many other countries around the world, the "Day of the Dead" is celebrated. On this day, people from different cultures gather in the locations of their loved ones and remember them. In Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Ireland. People bring flowers to sites. In Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Finland, families and friends light candles.

In the Philippines, the holiday has the atmosphere of family reunification. Today is a national holiday for them, and they spend the day together in the locations of their loved ones.

In Korea, families and friends prune plants, clean the area, and serve food and drink.

Mexican-style "Day of the Dead" celebrations occur in Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand and in many cities in the United States. Annual events in Texas, Arizona, Los Angeles, California and Boston are sponsored for families and friends to spend time together and remember.