During Friday’s Morning Meeting, Spanish 2B students taught the Upper School community about Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, celebrated on the first two days of November in Mexico. Students shared the “Top 10” most important things about Dia De Los Muertos. They explained the historical origins of the holiday and that even though it originated and is widely associated with Mexico, it is celebrated with different traditions across Latin America. The holiday celebrates the lives of family members who have passed, and during those two days, people believe that the spirits of the dead temporarily return. Families celebrate by setting up altars with offerings, marigolds, paper banners called papel picado, and family photos. Calaveras, colorful painted skulls, are common icons of the holiday. The Spanish 2B students decorated calavera masks and skeleton-like t-shirts, and they ended their presentation by reciting the poem “Woman with a Somber Gaze” by Julie Sopetran in Spanish as two classmates played the violin.

The Day of the Dead was also celebrated in Spanish classes this week. During Upper School classes, students learned about the holiday and made papel picado for decorations. They also decorated sugar cookies in the shape of calaveras and enjoyed Mexican hot chocolate. Lower School students joined in the celebrations by learning about the holiday and then making and decorating sugar skull calaveras, a traditional treat for children associated with the holiday.