¡Celebre el Día de los Muertos! Celebrate Day of the Dead!

So, what is Día de los muertos and why would anyone want to celebrate death? México and other Latin American countries have an intimate and playful attitude towards the life/death relationship. Unlike the sober Memorial Day celebrated in the United States, the dead are invited to return and enjoy costumed parades and personalized altars festooned with color and light. Every year, on November 1^st, Día de todos los santos (All Souls Day), and November 2^nd, Día de los muertos (Day of the Dead), families decorate their loved ones’ graves and home altars, adorning them with flores de cempasúchil (marigolds), velas (candles), photographs, personal talismans and a feast of favorite foods. Traditional decorations, such as calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls), papel picado (cut paper), pan de muertos (bread of the dead) with personal epitaphs in frosting, skeleton vignettes and miniature baskets of marzipan fruits and vegetables, are sold in the markets and offered as gifts to entice the dead into paying a holiday visit. 

There are many books for children that express the fun and sentiment of the holiday. Day of the Dead, by Tony Johnson, features bold artwork and minimal text and is perfect for the very young. Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book, by Jeanette Winter, and Clatter Bash! : A Day of the Dead Celebration, by Richard Keep, are full of playful skeletons dancing and celebrating in festive holiday spirit. For informational reads, you might check out Day of the Dead: A Latino Celebration of Family and Life/El Día de los muertos: Una celebración de la familia y la vida, by Carol Gnojewski, or Festival of Bones/El festival de las calaveras, by Luís San Vicente. A Gift for Abuelita: Celebrating Day of the Dead/Un regalo para Abuelita: En celebración del Día de los muertos, by Nancy Luenn, and I Remember Abuelito: A Day of the Dead Story/Yo recuerdo a Abuelito: Un cuento del Día de los muertos, by Janice Levy, are lengthier picture book stories about children who are grieving the loss of a special relative and finding comfort in the Día de los muertos rituals.

You don’t have to go to México to celebrate Día de los muertos. The Seattle Public Library is hosting story times and craft programs for children throughout October and November at the Central Library and in several of the neighborhood branches. You could also participate in the Phinney Neighborhood Association’s candlelight procession and create a community altar on November 6 or the Seattle Center Día de los muertos celebration in the Center House, October 31 through November 1. A little further south, the Tacoma Art Museum and Centro Latino have partnered to present an altar installation and a carpeta de arena (sand painting) exhibit, which will be on display through November 1. Share this Mexican tradition with children and join the celebration!