Celebrated November 1-2 each year, Dia de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday in which family and friends gather together to remember family and friends who have died. These traditions have carried over to the states, and are widely celebrated in Texas in its traditional roots. We invite you to head out to your Mockingbird Branch Library on Saturday, October 28 as we host a Dia de los Muertos Celebration for all ages.
During this day of activities, we’ll host activities that are tied to the traditional celebrations. Come out at 9:30AM as we host a bilingual storytime that will feature making your own paper cempasuchil or paper marigold. These are Mexican marigold flowers often referred to in Mexico as flor de muerto, or the flower of the dead, as they are used during Dia de los Muertos celebrations to honor the dead. They’re strong aroma is said to attract the spirits and help them find their way as they return to their families and friends during rituals. They’re also a symbol of impermanence and the fragility of life.
At 10:00AM, we’ll host a free showing of “Coco,” the Disney Pixar film about an aspiring musician who is confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music. He then enters the land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer. While enjoying the movie, you’ll have the chance to decorate your own sugar skulls, also known as calaveras. The calavera is a representation of a human skull, made from sugar, which are used as offerings to be placed on altars (or ofrendas) for Dia de los Muertos. This activity will be repeated at 2:00PM; however, this time we watch “Coco,” it will be shown in Spanish, with English subtitles.
At noon, a food truck will set up shop in the library’s parking lot and serve up some great food you can purchase until 2:00PM. Then at 4:00PM we’ll host a second bilingual storytime for kids that will also feature making papel picados. This is a traditional Mexican decorative craft where elaborate designs are cut into sheets of colored tissue paper. Then they are displayed at many celebrations including at altars during Dia de los Muertos.
Finally, at 4:30PM, come grab some votive holders and decorate them with vinyl decals. All materials will be supplied by the library and we hope you’ll join us on Saturday, October 28 for our first Dia de los Muertos Celebration. Hopefully this can become a new annual tradition at your library.
For more information about this family-friendly celebration at your library, contact staff at the Mockingbird Branch at 325-437-7323.