Dia de Muertos

Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead is a huge holiday in Mexico. It's celebrated on Nov. 1st and 2nd and focuses on family gatherings to pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. Traditions include building altars, using sugar skulls, marigolds and the deceased's favorite foods and beverages. Sugar skulls are given to the kids and there's a festive atmosphere that includes parades and parties. We found some really neat material to make a tablecloth at Parasina (one of the really cool fabric stores in Merida and the rest of Mexico). All over town you see sculptures and banners and lots of places have big public parties. As one might expect, there is a ton of religious symbolism and it's all mixed up with ancient tradition going back way before Catholicism made its way to Mexico.