Highlights Magazine - Day of the Dead
/
I was born and raised in Mexico City and ironically, as soon as I left my country 17 years ago, I started paying more attention to how I celebrate my Mexican traditions, like Day of The Dead, and magically they got a whole new and powerful meaning.
I’ve always tried to visit my family back in Mexico as often as possible, but I soon realized it was never enough. That’s why embracing my Mexican traditions to their fullest in the U.S. became my coping mechanism to try to bring my home country closer and yearn for my family a little bit less.
When my kids were born, those Mexican traditions intensified even more in my ambitious quest to raise not only bilingual kids, but bicultural children as well. Surprisingly, out of all our many traditions, the Day of the Dead became our household favorite. You might think that talking to my kids about death might be challenging, but thanks to this beautiful and colorful tradition, I was able to teach them how to cope and honor our loved ones that are no longer with us.
