El Dia de Los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) is one of my favorite holidays, even though I know very little about it other than that as an outsider to Mexican culture. My eyes are that of a tourist’s who sees the pageantry of the celebration but not the whole picture. Still, something makes me kvell to the array of cheerful skeletons.*
Today is All Soul’s Day, and the third day of the El Dia de Los Muertos festival. For the past five years, Bede has successfully restrained me from acquiring Day of the Dead dioramas, but this year, I bought a pop-up card to be my little shrine.
Today, I'm celebrating with skeleton stories:
A funny story:
The Dancing Skeleton
"Oooooweeee! Ain't we havin' fun!"
**A scary/romantic story:
Skeleton Woman
(you can find an in-print version of this story in Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes)
***A scary/creepy story:
Skeleton Woman (& Magic Woman)
And more. If you're just in the mood for a good alphabet book, check out Calavera Abecedario: A Day Of The Dead Alphabet Book, by Jeanette Winter. "F" is for Frida Kahlo!
*I like cheerful skeletons, just as I like cheerful bats.
**I've told this story quite a bit.
***I've told this story more often than I should've.
