As November is getting closer, numerous UC High students and staff are preparing to celebrate the Day of the Dead. A holiday traditionally celebrated in Mexico, on November first and second the Day of the Dead commemorates loved ones who have passed away.

The traditions practiced on the Day of the Dead vary. According to the Mexico-Insights website, “Many families head to the cemetery on the Day of the Dead on November 1 to welcome deceased children back from Mictlan (the land of the dead) and on November 2 to commune with deceased adults also returning for one day from Mictlan. During this time, the cemetery takes on an almost festive air,” (mexico-insights.com).

The holiday’s November date has a special meaning to it. History Teacher Eduardo Hernández said, “It has a lot to do with the end of fall and the beginning of winter. There’s a thin veil in that time frame where the seasons overlap, so the Mexican culture believed that at that point, with the veil between the living and the dead getting so thin, you’re able to have contact with the past.” Hernández shared he celebrates by remembering those in his life who are not with him anymore. “I do a mental reflection before I go to bed just to kind of acknowledge that their presence was there,” he said.

   Junior Priscila Artiga cannot wait for the holiday. She said, “On the Day of the Dead, my family and I go to the cemetery and visit family members. We eat Pan de Muerto, which is a sweet bread that is traditionally baked in Mexico. We also make an Ofrenda, which is an “altar de muertos,” where we honor and remember the dead and celebrate the joys of life.”