This week, we embarked on a magical journey to celebrate the vibrant traditions of Día de los Muertos, blending the rich culture of this special holiday with the whimsical world of Moonbeams and Moss. Here’s how we brought this celebration to life:
1. Introducing the Day of the Dead
We began by gathering together to share the story of Día de los Muertos, a joyful Mexican holiday that honours loved ones who have passed away. The kids were captivated by the idea that, during this time, families welcome the spirits of their loved ones back to celebrate their lives. We talked about colourful altars, sugar skulls, and the beautiful marigold flowers central to the celebration.
2. Crafting Tissue Paper Marigolds
Next, we dived into our first craft: creating marigolds, or cempasúchil, the traditional “flowers of the dead.” With orange and yellow tissue paper in hand, the kids carefully folded and fluffed their paper to make vibrant, fluffy blooms. These were later used to decorate our art space, bringing an explosion of color to the room.
3. Designing Sugar Skull Masks
Our next activity was a favourite! The children each created their own sugar skull masks using paper plates. They cut out eye holes and decorated their masks with colourful patterns, mimicking the intricate designs of traditional sugar skulls. With sequins, stickers, and glitter, the masks came alive, and the kids proudly held them up for all to see.
4. A Skeleton Dance Parade
Once the masks were ready, we moved into our Skeleton Dance Parade! To the hauntingly beautiful "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saëns, we imagined skeletons waking up and joyfully dancing. The children swayed, twirled, and paraded around the room, holding their masks and marigolds, bringing the celebration to life with movement and joy.
5. Reflecting on Loved Ones
To close our celebration, we sat together and reflected on loved ones who have passed away. The children shared stories, and we talked about the things we’d include in an ofrenda (altar) to honor their memory—favorite foods, photos, or mementos. It was a touching and meaningful way to end the day, with many kids expressing excitement to create a small altar at home.
This celebration was a beautiful way to introduce the traditions of Día de los Muertos, while adding a touch of magic and creativity through Moonbeams and Moss. Together, we honored the past, celebrated the present, and created joyful memories to carry forward.
