Day Of The Dead Research Paper

The United States and Mexico have their own traditions when it comes to celebrating the afterlife and the dead. Hispanics celebrate the “Day of the Dead” and Americans celebrate “Halloween” with costumes, decorations, and sweets. Ghostly skeleton and fairy princess, costumes are a tremendous part for preparing for these holidays. However they are not similar, they do help each holiday be distinct from each other. For example, the Day of the Dead, dressing up as a skeleton is a huge part of their history. “Scholars have noted the indigenous cultures of Mexico honor the Lady of the Dead, the modern La Catrina, which many recognize today as a skeleton woman wearing a fancy hat,” (DeNinno). The costumes also help give the holiday vivid visuals

Day of the dead is also celebrated with decorating graves with flowers and foods to welcome back their dead family and friends. Or they would set up a small alter in their homes with pictures of relatives who passed away, sweets, candles, and floral decorations. The bright colors symbolized the young souls that roamed around the cities and towns on Day of the Dead. Although Halloween does use skeletons as décor, pumpkins took the spotlight. Pumpkins are the physical symbol of Halloween. They are carved, baked, smashed, and painted. “So, prepare your pumpkins and your carving knife, because we couldn’t really imagine Halloween without pumpkins, could we? It’s not about making the best ones, it’s about enjoying a century-old tradition; and keeping Jack o’lantern away” (Mihai). But decorations also span from ghostly ghouls, fragile skeletons, and crawling insects, decorating around your home is a modern traditions that seems to keep going, from the darkest, spookiest colors to dangling spider webs. The colors are chosen because they are representing the colors of death, and after all it’s a day of celebrating the