Autumn in Mexico part 2

Chocolate skulls.

September ends and the flags are mostly put away. Mexico changes colour schemes – from green, white and red to orange, white and black. No, not for Hallowe’en, though it is becoming more and more popular, but for Day of the Dead. This is the second major reason that autumn is colourful in Mexico; and how colourful it is!

Day of the Dead is celebrated at the beginning of November. Traditionally Mexicans decorate the graves of their departed loved ones with things that they liked in life: their favourite food and drink, a cigar. They also light incense and candles. You might think this is not very colourful – let me continue! Often the tablemats and cloths that are used are brightly coloured. Then there are the paper decorations flying everywhere which show Mexican images, such as “calaveras” (skeletons) doing everything they did in life. This cut paper tends also to be in bright colours – pink, red, yellow, blue, green, purple, as well as black and orange. Mexicans also tend to put lots of skulls made out of sweets and chocolate on the graves, or to give them to their friends as presents. So when you go into shops or to the markets there are sugar and chocolate skulls all over the place. They are sold in other shapes but the skulls are the most popular. By the way, as well as the graves themselves it is also common for schools and organizations to have their own “ofrendas” or “altares” (offerings or altars) to commemorate the dead.