The Day of the Dead or Dia De Los Muertos

Darren, Dee (Darren's mum), Sam and I love the Mexican custom of Dia de los Muertos and we celebrate it most years with a party and the making of small shrines to remember the people we have lost. I feel that our "western culture" really does not address issues like death in any way, and yet it is our only certainty.

Wikipedia defines the Day of the Dead as follows:

"Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality of a National Holiday. The celebration takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts."

This year we will not be having a party as it is just too close to the the horrid death of Darren's brother Brandon. We lost Brandon on September the 18th this year in the suicide bombing in Afghanistan.  However we will be having a small family toast to Brandon's wonderful life on Friday evening.