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Day of the Dead

The Halloween Season: All Hallows Eve, All Souls Day & Day of the Dead are just the beginning of November festivities!

By Lady SundayPublished 5 years ago 7 min read
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Altar for Day of the Dead

With the Roman invasion, Christianity became intertwined with Celtic religion. In the early Middle Ages, the Christian holiday 'All Saints Day,' which they had always celebrated during the summer months to pay homage to all their fallen Saints and Martyrs, was dedicated as an official holiday by Pope Boniface I. The date of this observance was changed by Pope Gregory III, who moved their Catholic holiday from May 13 to November 1. The traditional religious Celtic night of Samhain, October 31, or 'All Hallows Eve,' began to be called 'Halloween', and now came the night before the Catholic 'All Saints Day'. By the following century, the Church dedicated November 2 as 'All Souls Day', a day to remember ALL dead. Copying the Celtics, (not the Mexicans, because as far as we know, they hadn't met yet! Read on…) 'All Souls Day' was celebrated with music, parades, dressing in costume, wine, food, and bonfires. They even began to prepare and distribute 'Soul Cakes', with encouragement by the church, probably as a way to replace the Celtic way of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. But also during the festivities, the poor would beg for food, money, and ale. Children started to take up the practice, which was called 'going a-souling.'

By the late 20th century in Mexico, the festivities to celebrate those in the afterlife became a public holiday. It fell on the first and second of November. Traditionally, the first day of November is to celebrate dead children, and is known as 'Celebration of the Little Deaths' (Fiesta de los Muertecitos). The second day is for remembering dead adults, which is called 'Celebration of the Big Deaths' (Fiesta Grande de los Muertos). The indigenous population also dedicated this time to the end of agricultural cycles. It was they who actually decided to name the whole month of November 'Month of the Dead Souls', with the beginning of the month dedicated for honoring those loved ones who journey through the afterlife. The attitude throughout Mexico, which still remains today, was rooted from the belief that death was the ultimate liberation. The skeleton is symbolic of life. This is why skeletons, and skulls especially, are a part of their decoration during this time of year. Flowers, a photo of the deceased, and a skull with the name of the deceased written on it in dyed sugar are a few of the main items on the grave altar. Foods include baked goods, like 'Day of the Dead Bread' (Pan de Muerto), and confectionaries, such as the 'Sugar Skull' sweets for children. Names are written on them in a very colorful, and VERY edible display, that has gained popularity around the world. As a child that had the luxury of living in Southern California (as well as culture shock, because I also spent time in New York), trips to Tijuana were frequent enough that I remember a bakery that had the biggest donuts I had ever seen! It was actually 'Day of the Dead Bread.' It was one of the special treats I was given, and I have never eaten anything like it to this day! I will attempt it with the recipe I included in this blog, so I hope my first try is at least edible!

Dia de los Muertos!

Halloween came from very old Northern European beliefs. These were the Pagan people of Ireland and Scotland. Originally it was the ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain. With the colder and longer winter nights, food was scarce. To go out after dark meant that ghosts and evil spirits might recognize them. They began to wear masks in order to confuse these mischievous spirits that wandered in the dark nights. It was the belief that on one night in particular, the veil between our world and the spirit world would be the thinnest. They celebrated with bonfires, music, food, ale, and wore their masks, probably not only as a way to help keep warm, but to raise their own spirits. Winter was long, dark and probably got lonely. What better way was there to keep happy, than to congregate in masks worn for anonymity, drink, and eat food?

While the beginning of November approaches, death is everywhere around Mexico. Music, colorful decorations, and baked goods such as 'Day of the Dead Bread' are on display for bringing in the celebration the following week.

On November 1, cleaning graves, burning incense, the setting up of altars to hold lit candles, favorite foods of loved ones, and pictures of the dead, are all done in preparation of festivities. Typically it starts for the graves of children. They are adorned with altars holding treasures for their little lost souls.

On November 2, it is more of the same preparations for the lost souls of adults. People gather to hear sermons and play music, and they revere their loved ones with favorite foods and alcoholic drinks. There is a search for the souls of their lost relatives by asking neighbors "Will you give me a dead soul?" If the neighbor is a friend, they will proceed to share food and drink. If the neighbor is just an acquaintance, the neighbor will say "Go to the Altar to pray."

The altars always have a glass of water, in the belief that the soul will be thirsty after making their journey. Drinks for the living, such as sweetened water, chocolate drinks, and alcohol, like the traditional liquors of mescal and pulque, are usually shared. Atole, which is a thick corn drink with nourishing properties, is still used in remote locations. There will be fruits and vegetables, sweets such as chocolates and pumpkin candies, and also traditional foods like enchiladas and tamales. Whatever doesn't get eaten gets given away. I imagine in Mexico, this is their version of 'Trick-or-Treating,' since most everyone is going to be drinking, and eating, at almost every neighborhood home!

Day of the Dead Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, cut into 8 pieces; or lard (traditional)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Topping:

  • 1/2 teaspoon anise seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 large egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions:

To make the dough:

  1. Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them—by hand, mixer, or bread machine—to make a smooth, soft dough.
  2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow it to rise for 90 minutes; it may not double in size, but will become quite puffy.
  3. Break off a piece of dough about the size of a large baseball (7 1/2 ounces or so, if you have a scale).
  4. Divide this smaller piece into three pieces; two of them should be large, and one small (about half the size of one of the larger pieces). Place these dough pieces in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
  5. Shape the large piece of dough remaining into a smooth ball. Flatten it to a 6" long x 3/4" tall round.
  6. Place the round loaf on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, or into a lightly greased 9" round cake pan. Cover the loaf, and allow it to rise at room temperature for 90 minutes; it will become puffy, though it won't double in bulk.
  7. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  8. Just before the loaf is fully risen, remove the smaller pieces from the fridge. Shape the smallest into a round ball. Roll the other two into 10" ropes.

To make the topping:

  1. Mix together the anise seed, cinnamon, and sugar.
  2. Brush the top of the bread with 1 large egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water. Sprinkle with the topping.
  3. Drape the two ropes across the loaf at right angles, so they form a cross over the bread. Use your fingers to flatten the ropes in places, and at the ends, to give them a "gnarled" appearance.
  4. Take the ball, flatten it slightly, and set it in the very center of the loaf, atop the spot where the ropes cross. Pinch it onto the ropes to help hold it in place.
  5. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The interior of the finished loaf will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer when it's done.
  6. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store it at room temperature, well wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

(This blog post is dedicated to my grandparents Edward S. 1-1-2014 & Barbara L. Falsetti 3-4-1998 and also to the memory of my father, Barry G. McBride 11-1-2008 R.I.P.)

**References:

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/pan-de-muerto-day-of-the-dead-bread-recipe

http://louisville.edu/spanish/day_of_the_dead/dia_muertos_mexico/index.html

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2091483/day-of-the-dead-2017-mexico-festival/

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About the Creator

Lady Sunday

I'm a self-publishing author of fiction and I love to research and write creative non-fiction.

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