Are you a MexiCan or a MexiCan’t: Dia de los Muertos

I haven’t written in a while, forgive me. Today is the first day of Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).  Today I am filled with Mexican memories. Puebla at times has similar weather to Ontario, although I swear they actually get their fall more pronounced than what we are currently experiencing, but I digress. Dia de Los Muertos is a day when all the dead come back to say “sup.” Day of the dead spans the first two days of November, with many families setting up altars to their loved ones who have passed away. Altars are usually brimming with color! Pinks, purples, orange, reds! Gorgeous!

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 They line the altars with cempasúchil, which is a yellow/orange marigold. A lot of altars have a trail of cempasúchil (Flower of  the Dead) so that the dead know how to get back to their homes. The altars have ‘pan de muerto’  , tequila, or other favorite foods of the deceased. Calaveras are seen grinning from ear to ear! I’m bringing it up today, because I am always flooded with memories of my aunt, my Tia Cheny.

My mother exposed me to Mexican culture at a very young age, often taking me to visit my aunt and cousins when I was 6-7 years old. My first memories of Mexico was that of my aunt handing my sugared calavera, which I swear got bigger and bigger every year. One year she got me one with my name on it. I was reminded of the cold breeze in Puebla in the evening during this time of the year and eating Churros con chocolate in ‘El Porton’ (Like a Mexican Denny’s). Most of the warmest memories I have of Mexico relate to my aunt and my cousins and this time of the year. Maybe that’s why I associate November/Decemnber with my family. I remember going one year during Dia de los Muertos and we went to this town that lied about 40 min out of Puebla.  The town opened their doors to visitors to see their altars. We went from house to house, we were offered hot chocolate, tamales, mole, and bread. 

La Catrina

Dia de los Muertos is about celebrating life, laughing at death (as seen through the Catrina). Outsiders may see this as morbid, but it is a beautiful tradition. I hope some day Scott and our kids can visit the altars, maybe visit the cemeteries (which have been filled with mariachis serenading the departed), smell the burnt incense, and treat our kids to some churros con chocolate afte they have eaten their queso fundido.