The Long Weekend of Celebrating Deceased Ancestors Begins in Mexico
Mexico City, 30 October
by Jimm Budd
“Bridge of Death” sounds grim, but “bridge” is what Mexicans call a long weekend such as this one when The Day of the Dead falls on Monday, November 2nd.
In other Catholic lands, Nov. 2 is All Souls’ Day, preceded by All Saint’s Day, which is preceded by All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween). Traditionally, All Saint’s Day is a memorial day when families visit the graves of the departed and often erect altars to dead family members in the home, placing on the altars favorite foods to be consumed by these hungry ghosts.
Hotels have been advertising Puente de Muertos packages, indicating that not everybody will be going out to the cemeteries. And now the festivities begin with Halloween, which has come on strong as globalization sets in.
October 30, 2009
Posted in: Mexico