Dia de los Muertos

Friends of Foulds want to mark and celebrate, the many religions and traditions held by the families and children at Foulds.

For years we have had the Winter Fair where Santa comes along and gives out presents…but we understand that this is not celebrated in all Foulds family homes. We want to share some of the beautiful, magical, historic and religious rituals that are taking place in the homes of our community...

Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday that dates back thousands of years where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.

Not to be confused with Halloween which embraces terror and mischief on the last night of October!  Día de los Muertos festivities unfold over the first two days of November in an explosion of colour and life-affirming joy.

Sure, the theme is death, but the point is to demonstrate love and respect for those who have passed. In towns and cities throughout Mexico, revellers don funky makeup and costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance, and make offerings to lost loved ones.

Día de los Muertos  originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and other Nahua people, who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. For these cultures, death was a natural phase in life’s long continuum, kept alive in memory and spirit—and during Día de los Muertos, they temporarily return to Earth….as the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve.

During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance and play music with their loved ones. In turn, the living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations, and leave the deceased’s favourite foods and other offerings such as candles or bright marigolds called Cempasuchil at gravesites or on the Ofrendas built in their homes.

Día de los Muertos  is an extremely social holiday that spills into streets and public squares at all hours of the day and night. Dressing up as skeletons is part of the fun. People of all ages have their faces painted to resemble skulls, and wear suits and fancy dresses.

You can wish someone a happy Day of the Dead by saying, “Feliz día de los Muertos."

If you are in our school community and you celebrate Dia de Los Muertos, we wish you well and will be thinking of you.