Today is November first, All Saints' Day. Today and tomorrow, All Souls' Day, are traditionally celebrated in Catholic Mexico, as Dias de los Muertos, or the Days of the Dead. It is a time to remember those who are dear to us who have passed away. Families build private altars, or ofrendas, to honor the departed.The traditional flower to decorate your ofrenda is the marigold. Carmi's theme, YELLOW, is just perfect to showcase the marigold, with its bright saffron petals and nose-twisting pungent scent.
I was late this year in getting my Dias de los Muertos celebration in gear. This afternoon I stopped by the tiny Panaderia Antequeria on Ocean Park in Santa Monica. Pan de muerto is a sweetened, egg and yeast-raised loaf decorated symbolically to resemble the bones of skeletons. Panaderia Antequeria has some of the most uniquely decorated breads I've seen, with intricate patterns drawn in white icing and decorated with sprinkles.
This year, instead of buying a large, magnificent loaf of pan de muerto, I bought two small loaves for the two of us.At the florist in the same block, I found a bouquet of marigolds.
Here they are together. Enjoy, and use this holiday to honor those you love who are departed.
3 comments:
Beautiful photos, especially the last shot. Wow! ....it seems kind of sad that with all the good celebrations going on where you live and Mexico and in America it's the day after "candy and spook day".....well it's not all spooky, but it is much about the candy! Nice yellow photos anyway!
Love the photos! That bread looks interesting - I love seeing customs that have remained despite all the commercialisation of life!
And the yellow marigolds are beautiful!
In my own tradition, these holidays are not much celebrated; however, last Sunday in church, we wrote down the name of a loved one who had died and then tied that strip of muslin to a branch on a small tree. It was a lovely remembrance.
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