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| Day of the Dead History |
El Dia De Los Muertos
Celebrating, honoring, and remembering deceased loved ones. Day of the Dead is a Mexican and Latin American holiday connected with All Saints Day. Traditional symbols of this celebration include skeletons representing loved ones or popular figures from the community (Mariachi bands, fashionable upper class women represented in Catrina. Commemorated with lively music, bright colors, and favorite food, Day of the Dead is one of the most anticipated and beautiful holidays of this culture.
November 1 and 2 are the Days of the Dead, when the souls of the departed return to join their families and friends in the land of the living. It is a joyous time, without the tears which can make the return pathway slippery. Skeletons, skulls and red devils are depicted happily cavorting. Even the holiday foods, the sugar candies and the breads, are molded to look like "La Calavera"—the skeleton of death.
There are actually two Days of the Dead: November 1 and November 2, and the tradition dates back to the Aztec civilization. Coincidentally or not, these days are also the Catholic holy days of All Saints' and All Souls' days. In Mexican culture, the lines between ancient folklore and the customs of the Spanish Conquistadors frequently blur.
The first Day of the Dead, on November 1, is usually reserved for the children, for honoring the souls of the little angelitos. The next day, the adults are remembered. You will see both young and old in the night's rituals, holding vigils in the town cemetery. Everywhere, round loaves, dusted with colored sugar, are shared with both the living and the dead.
Preparations for the most important holidays of the year, the Days of the Dead, begin weeks in advance. Statues, candies, breads and other gifts known to please Los Muertos fill the marketplaces, and are consumed by the living with as much fervor as we do our own Christmas goods. Both the spirits and the economy get a boost at this time of year.
The Aztecs believed that death was but a portal to other existences—a natural, albeit mystical, occurrence. Families paid homage to their dead, and on those days when the living and dead were reunited, they welcomed them back with great respect and reverence. This is the basis for the Days of the Dead, even today.
Calavera—the skull or skeleton—is the number one symbol for the Days of the Dead. But it is not presented to terrorize. Instead, the calavera represents the playfulness of the Dead, as they mimic the Living and frolic amongst us. Made from a sugar paste cast in molds, the candy skulls of the Days of the Dead are decorated with colorful foil eyes and icing. The sugar skulls of the Days of the Dead are considered gifts, tokens of love, and besides being eaten by all ages, they adorn home alters and grave sights.
Fancy Flours product for Day of the Dead
Sugar Skull Decorated Traditional Mexican Day of the Dead
Sugar Fiesta Mold Set of 6
Sugar Skull Mold Frida Set of 6
Sugar Skull Mold Catrina Set of 6
Sugar Skull Mold Large Also available in small and medium sizes.
Sugar Skull LargeAlso available in small and medium sizes.
Day of the Dead Cookie Cutter Set
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