DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
(Day of the Dead)
On November 2nd, Mexican people celebrate a very especial festivity, the Day of the Dead. On that day people go to the cemeteries, they take flowers and sometimes food. Perhaps a person does not go to the cemetery during the year, but on November 2nd he or she certainly goes.
In general, in Catholic countries people celebrate this day by going to mass, and taking flowers to the cemeteries, but in Mexico this celebration takes a different form, and meaning. The Mexican celebration for the Day of the Dead is a cross between Christian and indigenous religious traditions and beliefs.
On this day the cemeteries are filled with people, and sellers. If you go there you will be able to buy flowers, and also food or drinks, balloons or other small toys for the children, and candy for everybody. Many people take their own food and eat at the cemetery, other people buy the food right there. Other people do not eat there. The tradition says that on that day the dead come to share the food, and spend some time, with their living relatives.
Each family puts an "altar de muertos" in their house. The altar is a table covered with a tablecloth, decorated with colorful paper and flowers, candles and religious images. Also, many people put photographs of dead relatives (especially parents and grandparents, brothers or sister, and children).
People prepare traditional foods for Día de los muertos: Tamales, "pan de muerto" (bread in the form of a person, or decorated as if with bones), "mole" (a sweet, thick, spicy, sauce), "atole" (thick and hot sweet drink made with corn dough), chocolate, Mexican punch, traditional sweets, and fruits of the season (orange, sugar cane, apples, peanuts, etc.). It is very important to prepare the food that the dead people use to like when they where alive. Some of the food is put on the altar, and it is meant for dead person to eat. Very often some tequila, mescal, or other alcoholic drink, and tobacco go on the altar too, or toys for the dead children. After one or two days some of the food would have disappeared from the altar.
The traditions of the Day of the Dead change from region to region, and there are many other forms of celebrating this day. Perhaps you know a person from México and you can ask him/her how they celebrate this day in his/her town or region.