Last year was our first time celebrating Día de Muertos.  Since then, a lot has changed in the way I see this holiday.  It amazes me how much of a spiritual impact the celebration of Día de Muertos has given me.  Last year I didn’t know much about it, so I did a little research, applied what I learned to the same beliefs that my husband and I grew up with, and did my best to weave the old with the new.  After having experienced all the emotions and joy that come with setting up and creating an altar last year, I was looking forward to getting started on our altar this year once Fall officially arrived.

What this year’s altar means to me is beyond the expectations of what I first expected to feel.  I knew that it had to be meaningful from start to finish, and it was.  There was no doubt in my mind that it needed to be separate from everything else, and it needed its own space where it can be appreciated.  Last year I was left feeling like I didn’t do our altar justice, so this year I wanted to make our deceased relatives proud. My goal was to create the foundation for an altar that would last us many years.  I wanted it to stand out and be noticed by everyone who walked through our door.  Most importantly though, I wanted my children and husband to be a part of the whole process too.

After much brainstorming and planning, we began gathering all the materials we needed together.  My husband took on the challenge of building the home of our altar(s), which were three large rectangular shadow boxes that would be hung on the wall.  The wood we used came from the box frame of our old bed that we took apart over the summer and saved before throwing out what we couldn’t repurpose.

Here is a detailed list of the materials we used for the shadow box shelf:

• (4) 11 5/8“ Long X 11/16” Thick X 3 3/8” High solid redwood boards
• (4) 21 ¾” Long X 11/16” Thick X 3 3/8” High” solid redwood boards
• (1) 22 7/8” Long X 3/8” Thick X 11” High plywood board for the back
• #6 x 1-1/4” wood screws
• #6 x ½” wood screws
• #16 x 1-1/4” Wire Brads nails
• (4) 2” rectangle brackets
• Staple gun
• fabric
• ¼” thick Quilt Batting
• Picture hangers (20lb capacity)
• ring hangers

Step 1:  Cut the Batting at least ½” bigger than the plywood board, and the fabric at least 1 ½” bigger than the plywood board. Lay down the fabric face down first, then place the batting over the fabric, then place the plywood board over them.  Starting with the middle (lengthwise), pull the fabric up and over the edge of the board, and staple it down.  Do the same with the other sides.  Work your way from the middle – out, leaving the corners last.   When you get to the corners, fold the leftover piece of fabric that hasn’t been stapled like you would a present, and staple it down one or two times.

Step 2: Build two frames separately using the nails first (the shorter redwood boards go on the outside of the frame).  Once you have the frames built, reinforce them with the #6 x 1-1/4” wood screws (one on each end between the nails).  Screw on half of the bracket halfway down the middle of each board with one #6 x ½” wood screw.  Slide the second frame onto the frame with brackets and secure them together with #6 x ½” wood screws again.

Step 3:  Evenly position the upholstered plywood board over one side of the completed frame and secure it onto the frame using the #6 x 1-1/4” wood screws.

Step 4:  Use a ruler to measure how far down, as well as how much inward, you want the picture hangers to be on the back board.  Screw them on with the #6 x ½” wood screws.  Use the distance between the top of the two rings to determine how far apart you need to place the hangers on the wall.

Now that the hardest part is done, it’s time to get creative!  If you’re going to include children in the process of creating an altar for Día de los Muertos, here are a few tips.

1. Find age-appropriate books about Día de los Muertos to introduce them to the cultural festivities if this is their first time.  Talk about the pictures, note the basics as a starting point (i.e., Marigolds, the offering, Calaveras, etc.).  Then talk about who you will be honoring in your altar.
2. Scope your home out for the right spot together as a family and talk about the different options you have.  How much space are you going to need?  How much space do you have?  Do you want it to be on a table, or on the wall, which room should it be in?
3. Once you’ve decided where the altar will be, you can ask the children to draw a picture of some of their ideas.  If they don’t want to do this, or are too young to understand, it’s okay!  Simply talking about it together can be enough.  Just make sure you jot down some of their ideas (if they give you some) so you can plan for them ahead for time.  Remember, this is a FAMILY DIY Project!  Everyone’s ideas and participation count!  No matter how big or small.
4. This one can probably go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway…Keep breakables and flammables to a minimum!  Children are naturally curious, and they will want to touch everything on the altar, so don’t put anything on the altar you would be upset about if it gets broken.  If you do, educate them on how to handle those items with care.  Lay down some rules if you must.
5. Have fun, be patient, and take your time.  Building an altar isn’t something to rush.  It’s a personal matter that involves lots of love, and only you and your family know what will work and what will not.  Small, large, simple, elaborate… doesn’t matter.  What matters is the time spent together bonding with your loved ones – alive and departed.

Watching my daughter get excited about helping us with our altar made every bit of hard work putting it all together worth it.  This year we talked about her Grandmother more, she asked about the others; who they were, how they died.  “Do we miss them?” she always asks.  Hearing and answering these questions does reawaken the grief and sadness in us, but only for a short while.  It’s part of the process I guess, because you can NEVER forget about the people you love and miss.  Never!  We don’t want to forget about them!  I think that’s why it’s so important to me to do this every year for my family.  It’s the only way my children can get to know their Father’s Mother and it helps keep the memories of her alive.  For that reason alone, I am beyond more than happy to continue this tradition every year.

I hope you enjoyed reading our experience. Below are links to recipes and resources that we used to help us build our altar as a family.

Books about Día de los Muertos

Paper Table Template

Pan De Muerto recipe by King Arthur Flour

Sweet Tamales by Muy Bueno Cookbook

Such is the case with this eBook, Ofrendas: Celebrando el Día de Muertos, that a group of Latina food and craft bloggers (and good friends and even a few SpanglishBaby Familia members!) have put together to offer for FREE! Sí, this amazing work of collaborative art is gratis!

Flip through the pages of this online magazine to find recipes and crafts that go beyond the traditional, while remaining firmly grounded in its origins.

Big congratulations to these amazing mujeres for creating this to enrichen even more the celebration of Día de Muertos:

-Nicole Presley of Presleys Pantry
-Leslie Limón of La Cocina de Leslie
-Maura Wall Hernandez of The Other Side of the Tortilla
-Ericka Sánchez of Nibbles and Feasts
-Denise Cortés of PearMama
-Kathy Cano Murillo of Crafty Chica
-Vianney Rodriguez of Sweet Life

¡Gracias, amigas!

Contrary to what many could think judging by its name, el Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is mostly a celebration of life. It is a time where we honor and remember our loved ones that have passed away and we do so by celebrating with joy the memory of their lives. In Mexico, colorful altars are created either at home or the cemetery. These altars include skulls and other symbols that represent death but they are lively decorated, full of color and cheerful details, as the idea is to bring to life the positive memories we have of those who have died. Personal objects, mementos, pictures and even favorite foods of the deceased are placed as part of the altar. The whole family gets creative thinking of ways the altar can best represent the memories of those that have passed on and are held near and dear to their hearts. As much importance is placed on creativity, I wanted to share an edible idea that is meant to get your creative juices flowing: Día de los Muertos Sandwich Art.

The shape of traditional sandwich bread is close to the shape of a skull, so just like decorating cookie skulls, you can decorate a piece of bread to make fun and creative sandwiches or toast. This is a great idea to involve your kids and to allow them to learn more about the traditions, but also to become part of the celebration. If you do not partake in the creation of an altar at home but do want make sure your family knows about this celebration, why not try this edible activity for breakfast, lunch or snack time, while telling stories about the lives of our loved muertos.

Here are a few Día de los Muertos sandwich art ideas but remember the possibilities are endless.

Using an apple corer or simply a knife, make two holes on a piece of bread to resemble the eyes. Do the same for the nose and mouth. Spread peanut butter and jelly on another slice of bread and top it off with the cutout sliced so that the jelly shows out, adding color to the face of the skull.

If you want to get even more creative, make an open face sandwich. Have various types of nuts, candy, and fruit on hand and on a slice of bread, use a smooth spread of your choice. The spread will work as a glue that will hold together your work of art. This is a good idea for a sweet treat or snack.

For a healthier version, spread cream cheese to create a blank canvas. Use cold cuts, sliced cheese and veggies to cut out shapes that will give life to the skull.

Over the years, Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, has been making its way to the United States and being embraced by all cultures. All Latin American countries celebrate Nov. 1st and 2nd as Día de Muertos or Día de los Difuntos, but most observe it as a somber day of remembrance of those that passed before us. Mexico, on the other hand, has imbued the celebration with rich symbolism and a festive environment that conceives death as a normal part of life. They also believe that those that have passed before us should be remembered with joy.

In Mexico, Day of the Dead is full of color, symbolism and rich aromas coming from the various typical foods prepared for the occasion. The belief is our muertos (deceased) will visit us during these days to enjoy the foods, drinks and objects they enjoyed in life and are left in an altar for their annual visit.

Altars adorn houses and public spaces and can get very extravagant. Marigold flowers, sugar skulls, candles, papel picado and picture frames, along with food and drinks, can be found on every altar. Each altar is its own work of art.

Día de Muertos is such a beautiful way to teach our children about something as essential as death, a topic that is often difficult to approach, but that all kids wonder about at one point or another. Embrace this holiday to teach your kids that death is nothing to be scared about and we can even be playful about it. Crafts and art are an ideal way to celebrate Día de Muertos.

Click here are 15 festive and colorful Día de Muertos crafts your kids will love doing with you.

Her obsession with all things death began when my grandmother passed away last year. My then 3-year-old daughter Kalila had grown fond of Mamá Leonor, and I never really considered not taking her with us to the funeral. Just the year before, she had sat on my lap at my grandfather’s funeral, although I’m sure she didn’t remember. There were other small children there, too, and I had always grown up believing that children were just as much a part of this ritual as anyone else. Children always went where the adults did – to church, to weddings, to funerals.

Maybe she had expected to see Mamá Leonor alive, because when she finally saw her, lying so still and serene, she became quiet and concerned. After a while she summoned the courage to ask, “Is she sick?”

Death is something Latinos celebrate every year during Día de los Muertos. It isn’t something to fear – it’s colorful, playful, it’s a part of the celebration of life. In past years I’ve made altars and mini-shrines; I have a beautiful statuette of La Catrina in our living room; and my little girl has colored countless calacas and calaveras on coloring pages. But at that moment in the funeral home, when I was confronted with explaining what it all really meant to my own daughter, I felt awash in doubt, and I thought to myself, what have I done?

But it was too late to change course now. I answered my daughter’s question: yes, she was very sick and she died after a long and good life, and she went on to heaven to be with Papá Orlando. That seemed like an appropriate response, and she seemed okay with that answer. When we got to the cemetery – a dry plot of ranch land broken up by caliche roads and dotted with oversized gravestones and brightly colored artificial wreaths and bouquets – Kalila turned to my husband and me and asked, “Is this heaven?”

It was searing under the hot South Texas sun, and the warm breeze was kicking up dirt all over the cemetery.

“God, I hope not,” my husband blurted out.

It was then that I realized my simple explanations were going to be no match for a 3-year-old’s curiosity. Despite having mourned the loss of my father and three grandparents in the past five years, I had not really thought much about the meaning of death beyond my own grieving. But mostly, I had never had to explain it to a child.

For Kalila, Mamá Leonor’s funeral was the start of many questions to come over the next weeks and months.

Just a few days after we got home, Kalila told us, randomly, that Mamá Leonor had become a statue. That’s what happens when you die, she said. I started to explain otherwise, but she seemed set on this theory, so I just let it be.

Later, we dealt with a sickness, just a cold, but it came along with questions about whether that was going to lead to death, too.

Then one day she heard the words “children” and “dead” on the news over the radio, and she asked again and again why the kids had died. There was such sadness in her voice. I explained that we all die, eventually, and yes, sometimes children die, too.

Even subtle mentions of death in children’s movies or books have stirred up questions from her. What happened to Lilo’s (Lilo & Stitch) parents? Why did they die? And at the end of Charlotte’s Web, Charlotte the spider dies, but not before explaining to a grief-stricken Wilbur, “After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die.” When I read that to her, Kalila shook her head in agreement as if to say, I get it.

I’m still not sure what she really gets, though. But she seems at peace with her own ideas about death, and I know it isn’t something that consumes her. Dying is part of life and it’s only a matter of time before we have to talk to our children about it. And after talking about the issue so much over the past year, I feel at peace with my decision to take her to my grandmother’s funeral. I’m glad I trusted my instinct. I think we’re finally ready to celebrate Día de los Muertos together as a family, and I plan on making mini-matchbox shrines for our loved ones this year, and of course, sharing that here on SpanglishBaby in the next few weeks.

{Image by  rainy city}

For many people the idea of “celebrating” death might seem gory and even disrespectful, but for those in Mexico and other countries in Latin America remembering those that have passed before us is filled with joy and a festive atmosphere. Much of the symbolism associated with the traditional Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday celebrated in Latin America on November 1st and 2nd, has crossed over to the United States and is starting to fuse with Halloween due to its proximity in days and its seemingly related themes dealing with the after life.

TO CONTINUE READING HOW DISNEYLAND PARK COMMEMORATES DÍA DE MUERTOS CLICK ON TO READ THE REST OF MY POST ON BABBLE

Every year when we open up our box of Halloween pumpkins, ghosts, spiders and bats, we also take out the Día de los Muertos skulls and skeletons we pack in the same box. The day before trick-or-treating, we set up our ofrenda: a memorial or altar that pays tribute to family members and friends who have died. The ofrenda is a collection of treasures, pictures, food, special items and candles to remind the families of their loved ones.

Learning about celebrations around the world not only heightens cultural understanding, it helps children learn our similarities and differences, what other cultures value, and for our own kids, it instills pride in their own heritage. Understanding the reasons behind different celebrations helps to promote cultural awareness and eliminates negative attitudes or prejudices. In Day of the Dead, we see the values of family, our ancestors, of certain traditions and rituals, and of the belief in life after death.

Día de los Muertos, or Todos Santos is a holiday that stems from the Catholic All Saints’ Day/All Souls’ Day, combined with Aztec rituals celebrating the lives of our ancestors. In fact, it is celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Ecuador, and other Latin American countries. Because my husband is from Mexico City, we try to keep Mexican traditions alive and teach our kids about this special celebration.

After gathering the materials for our altar we set out some favorites foods and some water, because traditionally people have believed that the spirits are hungry and thirsty from their journey. The kids gathered the skeletons (calacas) and skulls (calaveras), and hung up their skull art project since we didn’t have any papel picado available. Traditional ofrendas also typically have cempasuchitl (marigolds), candles and incense to lead the spirits to the altar for their visit.

But everyone’s favorite part is when we gather items to represent our grandparents’ favorite activities, hobbies and even vices. My maternal grandfather was a gardener, who loved to fish, and could build and fix anything. We represented his interests with a plant, a hammer, and a fishing lure, near his photograph. For Toño’s grandfather, we had a flask of tequila, an old level and a bunch of bananas. As I explained each object to my kids, the stories began to flow. His maternal grandfather surveyed land all over Mexico and was sometimes paid in unique commodities. One time he brought home a whole banana stem from the Yucatan peninsula. After carrying it home all the way back to Mexico City, he laid it on the floor, a huge, hairy tarantula crawled out, and everyone screamed!

For our family, and families across Latin America, Día de los Muertos is not only about keeping a tradition alive and instilling pride- though these certainly play a part. This special holiday is a chance for our children to learn about relatives that they might not remember or maybe haven’t ever met. As families sit together and share special stories about our loved ones, we get to strengthen our memories and show our children what beautiful families they are a part of.

Being a bicultural Latina raising biracial kids while living 300 miles from our nearest Spanish-speaking family means that any opportunity to celebrate our Latino roots is one I cannot pass up. My 3 year old daughter is becoming increasingly aware of holidays and traditions, so I felt it was imperative to celebrate Día de los Muertos.

Before adorning her beautiful face with calaca face paint, Alina and I spent some time talking about the holiday and traditions associated with Day of the Dead. The opportunity to use the words Latino and Mexican and speak in Spanish within a very specific context was beneficial to our bilingual endeavors. Toddlers absorb so much more when they have an actual context in which to learn.

Alina was not a bit scared of the imagery of Día de los Muertos. She was intrigued and asked many questions, wondering why the calavera looked so silly. She adored the plethora of flowers we made specifically for her hair, hanging the papel picado and having her photo taken. So far, our celebrations have been well received by our magical toddler and I know the holiday will remain part of our traditions for years to come. Our Día de los Muertos celebration will continue into the weekend by attending themed events throughout our hometown of Las Vegas.

But, apart from the colorful décor, ofrendas and altars, I most appreciate the opportunity to honor the life of my grandfather, Papi. The promise I made to him to raise bilingual children is the reason why I embark on this journey of language immersion. He would have loved looking at these pictures of his little calavera. And I love that Alina speaks his name and recalls stories of her great grandfather as though she actually knew him. Celebrating Dia de los Muertos gave us the opportunity to pass down the legacy of a man so important to the lives we live today, and for that, I am grateful.

My first memories of Día de Los Muertos was the smell of fresh mole and bolillos (baguettes) that my grandmother made and we took to the cemetery where her parents and siblings were buried, this repeated every November first, it was the most magical event of the year for me. I didn’t really know about Halloween then.

Abuelita said that bringing your relatives’ favorite foods to their tomb will bring their souls back to their buried bodies and we will feel close to them again –“death is part of life and we shouldn’t be afraid of it,” she used to say. She died last year in her sleep; she was not afraid to welcome La Muerte (lady death).

To bring her close to our heart, my son and I made an altar with some of her favorite items: Virgin de Guadalupe, Saints, Claveles (flowers) and fruit (sorry Abue, I don’t make mole!)

The one thing I learned about the sugar skulls and why you write your name on them is to think of your own death as part of your own life – in a sweet way – to not be afraid of it, just like Abuelita said. To celebrate our dead we decorate tombs or at-home-altars with Flor de Cimpasúchil, papel picado, tissue paper flowers, sugar skulls, pan de muerto, atole, fruits and the beautiful Catrinas o Calaveras which were made famous by painter Diego Rivera in his Mural Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en Alameda Central

One of the places in Mexico that has celebrated the Day of the Dead for centuries is Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, 30 minutes from where I grew up. This place is as magical as my childhood memories. In this town every November 1st, you can feel the souls of your ancestors, you can smell  wonderful foods and enjoy the vivid colors of the decorations. We believe the dead take the food’s flavors, therefore you are not supposed to eat the food offered to the ancestors. It is a big and colorful celebration that lasts all night!

{Photo courtesy of Michoacán el Alma de México}

I would like to invite you to celebrate your loved ones that have passed by sharing your Dia de Muertos pictures and stories on SpanglishBabyPlayground.  You can try to cook their favorite foods and decorate an altar with their pictures. I think it’s a wonderful experience for the whole family and especially for our SpanglishBabies who will continue a very dear cultural tradition their ancestors have celebrated for centuries.

Monster High welcomes a new student in honor of Day of the Dead! Her name? Skelita Calaveras!

The Mattel owned line of dolls features characters based off creatures like Frankenstein’s monster, Medusa and Dracula – all of whom attend Monster High as students. Skelita is one of the first international transfer students. Created by Mexican-American doll designer, Natalie Villegas, Skelita is the daughter of Los Eskeletos, and her heritage is rooted in Día de los Muertos.

I had the opportunity to ask doll designer, Natalie Villegas a few questions. Here’s what she had to say!

Interview with Natalie Villegas

SB: I love that this doll is joining the Monster High collection for Día de los Muertos! … I understand that even though you’re Mexican-American, you didn’t begin celebrating Day of the Dead until adulthood. What do you love about the holiday? What are your favorite Día de los Muertos traditions?

Natalie: I grew up in a Chicano Catholic household and reclaimed some lost Mexican/Latino traditions as I grew older. Although I celebrated All Saint’s Day/All Soul’s day in Catholic school, it wasn’t until later that I connected with Día De Los Muertos celebrations. Once I realized how connected I felt to the rituals and celebrations of my past heritage and ancestors, I embraced it and made it part of my life. As Latinos feel less dominated by popular culture we are able to bring on our own perspectives and participate as equals and not feel ashamed of how unique and different our heritage is. As a child you can’t really decide what traditions you will honor, but as adult I choose to not only keep myself informed about my cultural heritage but also adapt it to my modern life.

The things I love most about Día de los Muertos are the ancestral and cultural ties, as well as the celebration among friends and family for those who are longer with us. In addition, I love the beautiful aesthetic. I’m drawn to the colors, patterns, and textures. As you can tell, these visual cues were a huge inspiration when I created Skelita for Monster High.

One of the most important traditions of Día de los Muertos is one of my favorites. I love to prepare the ofrenda, or altar. The altar consists of photographs of loved ones who have passed foods (favorites of family/friends who have passed), flowers, and anything else that may have been significant to loved ones. My second favorite tradition is one that I created for myself. I love to “dress up” and create costume like outfits that mix the traditional Mexican culture with modern fashion for Día De Los Muertos festivals that I attend.

SB: When I was little I used to play with Barbies for hours with my little sister. I never had a doll like Skelita. I’m trying to imagine how I would have incorporated her into our imaginary world! Do you guys do focus study groups? How do kids play with a doll like Skelita and her Monster High friends who are so different than the other Barbies? … How do children not familiar with Día de los Muertos react to Skelita?

Natalie: Monster High is all about celebrating uniqueness and accepting your freaky flaws! So when I design a new character for Monster High, like Skelita, I always think about girls who associate with that feeling of being “perfectly imperfect.”

Monster High has a rich narrative that girls love. While the core characters are children of storybook monsters like Frankie Stein or Draculaura, Skelita is among the first group of international transfer students who also have humorous but relatable stories to tell – this time with a cultural connection. And Monster High is a designer’s dream! In fact, I brought the idea of Skelita to the Monster High team because I wanted to design a character that could bridge a cultural and professional passion of mine.

I’m so proud of this new doll and character. Skelita Calaveras is the newest addition to the Monster High student body. She’s the daughter of Los Eskeletos whose heritage is rooted in a Latino tradition, Día de los Muertos. So, it’s only natural that her favorite activities are face painting, dancing and spending time with her familia. And, Skelita’s freaky flaw is that gets a feeling in her bones that something epic is about to happen … she just doesn’t know when!

So, as you can see, bringing this narrative to life – for girls to play with and “act out” – is extremely special to me. And my hope is that Skelita will inspire girls of all backgrounds to accept and celebrate diverse traditions and holidays. Because at the core, that’s what Monster High is celebrating – the heritage that makes us unique.

A few fun facts about the Skelita doll:

• Natalie wanted to mix up the traditional and modern by giving the doll an “East L.A. Twist”

• One of the traditional elements incorporated in the design include a skirt reminiscent of “papel picado.”

• The bodice design is a mix of a swirled “vertebra” pattern that is somewhat floral – and that floral reference is to the marigolds that are placed on altars during Day of the Dead.

• The wedges Skelita is wearing on her feet have Mexican “huaraches” references.

Do you love Skelita? We have one doll for giveaway! Enter below!

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