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

In Guatemala there are many dishes that are traditionally made for the Día de los Muertos celebrations, one of my favorite is the molletes. Very different from the Mexican molletes, Guatemalan molletes are similar to French toast. They are stuffed with custard and accompanied with syrup made with panela or raw sugar and rum. However, you can leave the rum out for a kid-friendly version. Molletes and torrejas are sometimes used interchangeably but they are different dishes as the torrejas are not stuffed.

For my family, as well as for many other Latino families living in the United States, sharing traditional dishes like the molletes truly brings us together and makes us feel closer not only to our country, Guatemala, but also to our family there.  When I remember my family or think about my country, one of the first things that come to mind is food, because food is not only tied to traditions but also to memories, to family, to culture and to your own identity.  I am hopeful that food will help me keep my culture alive in my children and will preserve our beautiful traditions like remembering our loved ones that have passed away.

I had never made molletes or torrejas until I moved to the United States and I was really surprised at how easy they where to make, even though they do take a little time.  As all the family was gathered together in the kitchen making them I told my kids stories of my grandmother who passed away and how her molletes where so delicious.  We talked about traditions in Guatemala and about our family there. The kids loved hearing all about Guatemala, about their great grandparents and enjoyed helping out and eating all the manjar that was left over

Ingredients for Molletes

• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 10 small molletes (lard or sweet bread rolls, you can find them in Latino food stores)
• 2 cups of vegetable oil
• ¼ cup raisins
• red sugar for garnish

Ingredients for Custard or Manjar

• 2 ¼ cups of whole milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for Syrup

• 2 cup panela or raw sugar
• 3 cups of water
• ½ cup rum
• zest from one lime
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• raisins

Directions        

• In a sauce pan over medium heat bring 2 cups of milk, sugar, cinnamon and salt to a boil.
• While milk is heating up mix together cornstarch and ¼ cup cold milk in a bowl.
• Once milk has reached the boiling point reduce heat.
• Take ½ cup of the hot milk and add to the cornstarch, mixing well.
• Pour cornstarch and milk mix back into saucepan and heat stirring constantly until custard thickens.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla mixing well.
• Let cool.
• To make the syrup place the panela or raw sugar, water, lime zest, allspice, cloves, cinnamon stick and rum in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Lower heat.
• While the syrup is heating up cut off the top of each of the molletes (rolls).
• Remove some of the bread creating a cavity in the center of each mollete.
• Place 3-4 raisins inside each mollete .
• Fill with custard and place the lid on, pressing lightly to close it .
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Add the yolks, flour and sugar and beat for 2 more minutes.
• Heat up the oil in a large pan.
• Dip the stuffed molletes into the egg mixture and carefully place in hot oil.
• Fry for a minute or less on each side until golden.
• Remove from pan and place on a colander, place colander over sink and pour boiling water over them.
• Pat them dry to remove excess water.
• Place the molletes in the syrup and cook over low heat until they are soft.
• Serve warm or cold.

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.

Dia De los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is one of our favorite celebrations. The kids enjoy the dressing up and crafting while I enjoy bringing my grandparents back to life.

This year I wanted the kids to make something to go along with the theme of calaveritas. We enjoy decorating the skull faces with bright colors and shapes much like an authentic sugar skull. These are perfect for Halloween or Día de los Muertos.

To create your own calaverita here is what you need:

1- Craft glue spots

2- Glitter Glue

3- A skull paper to use as stencil

4- Magnets with or without adhesive

5-Jewels

6-A black marker

7-Felt (we use glittered stiff felt)

8-Scissors (not pictured)

Let’s get started:

Trace your stencil onto the felt lightly and cut.

With a marker draw a nose and a mouth.

Add jewel eyes and trace with glitter glue.

Continue to embellish your calaverita using different color glitter glue.

Wait for it to dry (over night is best) and add your magnets.

If magnets have adhesive, peel and paste.

If magnets don’t have adhesive, use glue spots to adhere.

All done!

¡Feliz Día de los Muertos! 

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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out this super cute girlie version of Mama Yala’s Calaca printable. Click on the link below for a printable version you can share with your niños. If you’re looking for more Day of the Dead/Día de Muertos fun or celebration ideas be sure to check out our Celebrate Day of the Dead/ Día de los Muertos page. You’ll also find a blog hop there that will link you to lots of great posts all about this fabulous cultural holiday.

For a male version of this calaca, you can click here.

Click here for a printable version of this coloring page.

It was one of those days…. I was missing my Tio who passed away 3 years ago.  With Dia de Muertos / Day of the Dead (Nov.2nd) around the corner, I decided to start building an alter in his name.  I put on his favorite song “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones and played it loud on repeat.  Choked up with tears stuck in my throat, I tried my best to belt it out and get to the rest of the song without a complete break down.  The title “Miss you” seemed perfectly appropriate.  My Tio loved Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, he use to eat them all the time.  He also loved his caramel, so why not combine the two to make the perfect treat.  My family has always observed Dia de Los Muertos but it takes on a completely different meaning when you are honoring a close family member dearly missed.  I dedicate this recipe to him and hope that where ever he is now, he’s eating his favorite foods with his friends having the best time.

Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Almond Dia de Muertos Rice Krispies Treat:

Non-Stick cooking spray

1 – stick butter (melted)

6 – cups mini marshmallows

2 – tablespoons milk

50 – caramel candies (plastic wrapper off)

1 – box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal (12 oz.)

1 1/4 – cups whole almonds

2 – cups milk chocolate chips (melted)

I decorated my calavera with the following items:

Royal icing

sugar cookies

smarties

mini marshmallows

raspberry gummies

Kellogg’s Fruit Loops

edible metallic decorative balls

colored sprinkles

pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Spray a 9×13 pyrex glass baking dish, one pot, a big mixing bowl, and mixing utensil with non-stick cooking spray.  Set to the side.

1. In the sprayed pot over a medium flame add butter and marshmallows.  Mix until marshmallows are completely melted and smooth.
2. In another pot add milk and caramel over a low flame and mix until melted and smooth.
3. Then take both mixtures and pour into the big sprayed mixing bowl. Mix until combined.
4. Next pour Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and almonds into the marshmallow caramel mixture.

1. Mix until completely combined.  Then pour mixture into 9×13 sprayed pyrex dish and press to make mixture even. Allow to cool completely in baking dish.
2. Once cool, flip over onto a cutting board.
3. I drew a big calavera (skeleton head) on a piece of wax paper, then cut it out and used it as my stencil.  Place stencil on top of rice krispie slab and cut around it.
4. Remove excess pieces and either eat or use later for decoration.  That’s up to you.
5. Once you have cut the calavera, leave the wax paper on it and flip it onto a different cutting board with the wax paper facing the cutting board.
6. Then take the melted chocolate and brush the entire calavera with the chocolate and along the sides as well.  Allow the chocolate to harden for at least 4 hours.

Decorate!

Once the chocolate is completely dried, take a small knife and run it along the edges to detach it from the cutting board.  Then flip it over and remove the wax paper.  Chocolate surface down, exposed Rice Krispies on top.  Then decorate as you wish.  Pull inspiration from my photo or anything else that makes you happy. To you and your loved ones departed or living this Dia de Muertos.

Disclosure: We are one of the Kellogg’s Champions of Great Starts bloggers and proud to have Kellogg’s as a SpanglishBaby sponsor.

The Day of the Dead fun has officially begun here at SpanglishBaby. Mama Yala has shared with us this super cute calaca,  or skull, coloring page for our niños to enjoy. If you’re looking for even more Day of the Dead fun make sure to check out our Day of the Dead/ Dia de los Muertos page to find everything from books, craft, and recipes to and explanation on how to celebrate!

For a girl version of this calaca, click here.

For a printable version of this coloring page click here.