The Day of the Dead often gets overlooked in the US since it lives in the shadow of Halloween here. The fact that it’s such a beautiful holiday, with a different kind of chill factor, makes me feel that it’s an important yin to Halloween’s yang. Even though I don’t believe in an afterlife, I still enjoy celebrating those (people and animals) who are no longer with us.
I don’t have to go into the history of DOTD since you can look it up yourself on Wikipedia. Instead, I’d like to tell you why I think it’s okay for all of us to celebrate it. We’re increasingly reminded that other cultures feel protective of their traditions. In many cases, that comes across as a warning because these traditions are often co-opted and misrepresented.
I feel that we all grow through the sharing of traditions. I mean, how far along would Halloween be if only people who are descendants of Celts were allowed to celebrate it? I think we can learn a lot about other people and their cultures by embracing their traditions, as long as we do so with respect.
So, I encourage you to create your own ofrenda to deceased loved ones and remember them with the joyous remembrance that’s unique to this celebration.