The Day of the Dead

Cara Jones

Some people think that the Day of the Dead is just a Mexican Halloween. But I’m here to tell you that it’s not.

The Day of the Dead is on November 1 and November 2. The Day of the Dead is to celebrate the people who have passed away and the life of everyone that is alive too. They use November 1st to celebrate the children that have passed away and use November 2nd to celebrate the adults that have passed away.

On November 1st and 2nd, there are multiple special ways the living honor their ancestors. Loved ones of the deceased use bread, photos, candles, a lot of candy, butterflies, sugar skulls, and toys to decorate graves and altars. The living party and celebrate to honor those who have passed. One similarity to Halloween is that they dress up in costumes.

“The Day of the Dead is not meant to be a creepy holiday where we’re talking about death or anything scary,” the Spanish teacher Mrs. Bridges states. “It’s not like Mexican people are obsessed with death and think it’s funny. It’s really just a time to remember your family and think about your family.”

The Day of the Dead originated in Mexico and Central America. But recently it has been getting more popular among Latino communities abroad, including the United States.

Do you celebrate the Day of the Dead? Comment down below!