DAY of the DEAD...

Well, it's Halloween in America, and Day of the Dead here in Mexico.  It is a big Holiday, if you could cal it that..  I guess it is supposed to be a time to honor and communicate with those passed on.  There is joy in connecting with those in some other place, but there are secret ceremonies and a lot of witchcraft associated with the celebration.  The cemeteries are centers of celebration.  The gravestones are painted and prepared for the week of fiesta.  There is food and booze and trinkets,items that the departed loved, left at the gravesites.  Needless to say, there are vandals and vagrants who take advantage of the food, booze, and trinkets.  There are candles and incense and even burnt offerings.  Paths of marigolds line the streets directing the spirits to the cemeteries.  There are parades and wailing and a lot of flurry in the markets.  There is a lot of partying, alcohol, and music.   The celebration lasts several days, each day commemorating the dead who died in different manners:  a day for those who died violently, for those who have drowned, for children, etc. 

Needless to say, I have not been to any festivities, nor to a cemetery...   Thus I have no photos of any Day of the Dead celebration....   Just thought you might want to know....

Carolyn in Chiapas

Photos of Sophia y Priscilla, Jan and Pablo's granddaughters making pumpkin sugar cookies.  We will have a little Halloween celebration:  Halloween prizes, a little candy, Pumpkin cookies, Bob for Apples and No-Hands-eat-a-donut-off-a-string, games....   Jan and I will have fun!