We have been celebrating the Day of the Dead in our own little way since 2001. It wasn't only for Calvin, though we would not have thought of it without him, but that whole year was a season of death, and we wanted some way to create light where there seemed to be only darkness.We use the mantle of our fireplace and decorate it in a pseudo-traditional style, with a lot of our own stuff thrown in. I get a new, little skeleton figure each year, we cut crepe paper, light candles, offer food, water and salt - and Halloween candy. And then put at least one thing on the "altar" for everyone who touched us who died since the previous October.
Zelda is becoming aware of things, and we have been pretty open with her about death (I hope not too much) and in anticipation of this season we got a great book out of the library called Day of the Deadby Tony Johnston and Jeanette Winter. Sweet book, lovely pictures, I get to speak in Spanish a little.UPDATE: Just wanted to get this article about a new Day of the Dead parade on the page itself so no one misses it. Thanks for the tip, Brian!
5 comments:
Hey! There's going to be a Day of the Dead parade this year!
http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/113014642855200.xml&coll=2
That is so... right. I'll be remembering my friend Nancy Martin who died of cancer last May. She's survived by her husband Tim and daughters (teenage) Hannah and Rebecca. Bless you guys. I hope Toni is better.
Thanks for sharing your tradition with us. As someone who is sadly insulated in her northeastern Ohio farm community, I have never paid attention to this particular celebration. Henrik is right...it sounds "right."
Yo - we've decided that this is how we'll be spending Saturday. If any of the others of you happen to be there - cafe con leche?
Hope that everyone is feeling better now.
Hi David! I do it too, since Nicolas died. It brings me a good deal of peace....which is often in short supply around here.
By the way i have not forgotten you, i am still looking for someone to bring 'I Hate This' to Detroit, i just have been hitting a lot of dead ends....sigh...
Post a Comment