"The Day of the Dead" may well be one of the most cherished holidays in Mexican culture. For two days, Nov. 1 (All Saints Day) and Nov. 2 (All Souls Day), the spirits of the dead return from heaven, hell and purgatory to celebrate with their families. It is a time to rejoice with the spirits of the dearly beloved, a time to remember those who have passed not with tears, but with happiness.

Observation of el Dia de Los Muertos differs from region to region in Mexico, but the history behind it remains unchanged. The popular holiday can be traced back to Aztec festivities during Miccaihuitontli, a month dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, or the Lady of the Dead. Her face is unforgettable and she goes by many names: La Catrina, la Flaca, la Huesuda, la Pelona (Fancy Lady), Skinny, Bony, Baldy. A fixture in Mexican society, she's not some trendy fashion model, but La Muerte--Death.

Just before the holiday, markets overflow with gifts for los muertos (the dead). Shoppers snap up everything from flowers, statues, sugared candies and el pan de muerto (bread of the dead) as people begin to prepare their own ofrendas (home altars) in honor of family and friends who have passed on. Huge picnics surround memorials and cemeteries, as people gather to celebrate the memories of loved ones they have lost.

The most important symbol of the holiday, the calavera (skull) implies a different meaning than it does in American culture. To the Mexicans, the calavera represents the playfulness of the dead, not the haunting of the soul. After all, el Dia de Los Muertos is not a time for grief. As the elders say, tears only wet the path of the dead and make it harder for them to return to the living.

Renowned writer Octavio Paz observes that, undaunted by death, the Mexican has no qualms about getting up close and personal with death, noting that he "...chases after it, mocks it, courts it, hugs it, sleeps with it; it is his favorite plaything and his most lasting love."

(Credit to Angelique Gillmer, 10-29-2001)