Celebrar!
The past week has been a busy one, celebrating different holidays in San Jose. I was so excited for Halloween and Day of the Dead, especially because we had our daughter and future son in law here in Mexico with us. We prepared bags of candy and glow in the dark bracelets to hand out on the square to the adorable little ones (and some not so little, which I love…I like to see tweens and teens trick or treating!).
Then on to El Dia de Muertos. We toured the cemetery and watched the parade of the Katrinas. So much work being done in the cemetery as the families utilize this day to clean, decorate, and often play music at the alters of their loved ones who have passed. The second day has a more festive air, with parades and celebrations in the city center.
I often question, as a visitor to this amazing culture, if the locals find it intrusive when we attend their traditional celebrations. I am always respectful of families’ privacy and keep my distance while visiting the cemetery, and try to observe on the outskirts. However, I have had many locals ask if I have visited their cemeteries and traditional celebrations, and they seem eager to share their cultural traditions.
This made a little more sense to me this year, when I saw how much fun the kids were having on Halloween (a very American holiday!). They liked saying “trick-or-treat”, “Happy Halloween”, and “thank you” in English. It made me so happy to see this fun holiday in another country. Taking it a step further, the entire weekend was a blending of traditions and cultures from two countries. It love this, especially with the events of the past week in the US. A small thing to see two cultures co-existing, but maybe a positive step none the less?
