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Most often observed in Latin countries—especially Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines—Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a joyous celebration of deceased ancestors. Curiously enough, this holiday originated with the ancient Aztecs in the first millennium A.D. The Day of the Dead is actually celebrated on 2 days in a row—Nov. 1... more »
Sometimes it's tough to find the perfect greeting card, especially when it's one in honor of a holiday that may not be widely celebrated. Instead of picking up a generic card with a smiling puppy on the front, you can design ethnic greeting cards to honor a number of different cultural celebrations or the culture itself. more »
Halloween might be only one day of the year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the spooky spirit throughout the whole month of October. If you are a little old for trick-or-treating or just looking for other options for celebrating Halloween in the San Francisco Bay area, read on for some ideas. The first section... more »
One of the most common themes in world celebrations for Halloween involves honoring those that have passed on. In Austria a table lamp is lit before retiring for the night, to help light the way for spirits. In Belgium a candle is lighted in memory of relatives that have died. In the Chinese festival of Teng Chieh, food and water... more »
Throwing a Halloween party is a great chance to be creative in a fun and spooky way. To make your event stand out from every other ghoulish gathering, you want to put in some extra effort to show your guests you care enough to make it really memorable for all involved. Party favors and special treats for your guests are terrific... more »
The Dia de los Muertos celebration has a long tradition of focusing on artistic expression through the creation of altars, costumes, food and... more »
Once inhabited by the Mayans, Playa del Carmen began as a fishing village. The Mexican city is 45 minutes south of Cancun along the Caribbean on... more »
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Lack of alternatives to the traditional haunted house can be as scary as Halloween itself. With a little imagination, you can be the force that... more »
Dia de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, is celebrated in Mexican culture every November. Pan de Muerto is a slightly sweet bread that is baked... more »
The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 1st, and 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints Day which occurs on November 1st and All Souls Day which occurs on November 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl.
Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world; for example, its a public holiday (Dia de Finados) in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their loved ones who have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe and in the Philippines, and similarly-themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.
Due to its time being close to Halloween, The "Day of the Dead" is commonly thought to be similar to Halloween, although the two holidays actually have little in common. The "Day of the Dead" is a time of celebration, where partying is very common, although this is not very well understood in the U.S. because they celebrate Halloween as a "scary" holiday, where people will put up scary decorations and have children knock on doors for candy. It can also be the same vice-versa.
Observance in Mexico
Origins
The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to the indigenous cultures. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancest read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day+of+the+Dead
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