All Souls’ Day (Defuncts’ Day)

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[...] On November 1st and 2nd, many countries celebrate All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. In some Latin American countries, the day is known as Los Dias de los Muertos (“The Days of the Dead”). In Mexico, these days have become a spectacular national holiday. Unlike many All Souls’ Days celebration, in Mexico, Los Dias de los Muertos is a colorful, joyful time of parades and festivities.People dress up as ghouls, ghosts, mummies and skeletons and parade through the town carrying open coffins. The “corpse” inside the coffin smiles as it is carried through the streets, and local vendors toss oranges inside as the procession makes its way past their markets. Lucky “corpses” may also be showered with flowers, fruits, and candies. There are skeletons, skulls and coffins made of chocolate and marzipan, and special loaves of sweet bread, called “pan de muertos,” decorated with “bones.” Handmade skeleton figurines, called “calacas,” are seen everywhere. These skeletons have an active life: they are musicians, brides or generals on horseback. Death has many nick-names: La Catrina, la Flaca, la Huesuda, la Pelona–Fancy Lady, Skinny, Bony, Baldy. [...]

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