Dia de muertos ingles

mexiMexican Día de los Muertos Celebrations:
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), celebrated between October 31st and November 2nd, is a celebration in which Mexicans remember and honor theirdeceased loved ones. Though it may sound gloomy or morbid, it's not. It's a festive and colorful holiday. Mexicans visit cemeteries, decorate the graves and spend time there - in the presence of theirdeceased friends and family members. They also make elaborately decorated altara (sometimes called ofrendas) in their homes to welcome the spirits.
Origins of Day of the Dead - a merging of cultures:
InPrehispanic times the dead were buried close to family homes (sometimes in a tomb underneath the house) and there was great emphasis on maintaining ties with deceased ancestors, who were believed tocontinue to exist on a different plane. With the arrival of the Spaniards and Catholicism, All Souls' and All Saints' Day practices were incorporated into Prehispanic beliefs and customs and Day ofthe Dead came to be celebrated.
The belief behind Day of the Dead practices is that spirits return to the Earth for one day of the year to be with their families. It is said that the spirits of babiesand children who have died (called angelitos, "little angels") arrive on October 31st at midnight, spend an entire day with their families and then leave. Adults come the following day.
Day of theDead Altars:
The spirits are greeted with offerings of food and things that the person enjoyed in life. These are laid out on a Day of the Dead altar in the family home. It is believed that the spiritsconsume the essence and the aroma of the foods that are offered. When the spirits depart, the living consume the food and share it with their family, friends and neighbors.
Other items that areplaced on the altar include sugar skulls, often with the person's name inscribed on the top, pan de muertos, a special bread that is made especially for the season, and cempasuchil (marigolds) which...