SKELETONS! ANIMALS! SKULLS!
Do you want to make your own skeleton pet? Skeletons and skulls are very important to Day of the Dead. Follow storyteller Randel McGee as he explores the Day of the Dead holiday in Paper Crafts for Day of the Dead. Learn to make a skull mask, paper marigolds, and even a skeleton candy basket.
The crafts are well-explained, using materials that are easily obtained. This creative book is a wonderful introduction to the arts and crafts of this important Mexican holiday.
Brbara C. Cruz, Professor of Social Science Education, University of South Florida
Because of its centrality to Hispanic culture, this is an important holiday for all Americans to understand. Celebrated at the same time as Halloween and All Saints Day, the crafts associated with this day are easy to do and informative.
Duncan R. Jamieson, Ph.D., Professor of History, Ashland University
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randel McGee is a storyteller, puppeteer, ventriloquist, and paper-cutting artist. He performs all over the world, sharing his paper-cutting stories with children and adults. This is his first series with Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Da de los Muertos (DEE-ah day los moo-AIR-toes) is Spanish and means Day of the Dead in English. This may sound like the title of a scary movie, but it is really a fun and happy holiday in Mexico and many other countries throughout the Americas. It is somewhat like the United Statess holidays of Halloween and Memorial Day rolled into one. The day is based on an Aztec celebration and the holidays of All Souls Day and All Saints Day, both holidays for honoring the dead. On November 1 and 2, it is believed that the spirits of those who have died can return to Earth and visit their living family and friends. Even though the living cannot see the spirits of their loved ones, they do everything they can to make them feel welcome.
To welcome and honor these ghostly guests, their living relatives make sure to have their pictures out where all can see them. Families will make little displays called nichos (KNEE-choes), or dioramas, of happy skeletons, representing the spirits of the dead, doing things they liked to do while they were alive such as playing games, working, and other activities. Skeletons, or calacas (kah-LAH-kahs), decorate everything. People also set a table with the departed loved ones favorite foods and drinks and favorite tools, toys, kitchen utensils, or musical instruments. People throughout Mexico decorate their homes with many strings of lacy tissue-paper banners with designs cut in them called papel picado or papel cortado (PAH-pel pee-KAH-doh or cor-TAH-doh).
Marigolds are used to decorate altars and graves.
Mexican families visit the gravesites of their loved ones and place bright marigold flowers or cempaschil (sem-pah-SU-chil) on their graves. Families have picnics in the cemetery. Some people buy sugar skulls called calaveras (kah-lah-VAIR-ahs). They eat a special bread made just for that day called pan de los muertos (pahn day los moo-AIR-toes) or bread of the dead. Parents tell their children stories from the lives of their ancestors so that they can know them better. Families in some places will spend the whole night in the cemetery visiting, telling stories, and singing.
This holiday is celebrated a bit differently in each place. In some rural towns and villages they have parades or other gatherings. Those in the parade wear masks and costumes. Some towns celebrate with feasts and parties. Different foods are eaten during this celebration. People in some villages prepare special tamales (tah-MAH-lays). Tamales are made with corn dough that is wrapped around either spicy meat for a meal or fruit for a dessert. In more urban areas, the day is quietly celebrated with personal family get-togethers.
In Mexico, the sunny-looking marigold flower is called cempaschil. It is known as the Flower of the Dead and is used in Day of the Dead decorations and memorials. Use these flowers to decorate a room or a display of family pictures.
Make your own marigold out of paper.
- yellow or orange and green construction paper
- pencil
- ruler
- scissors
- white glue
- clear tape
1. Draw different-sized circles on yellow or orange construction paper. See for the pattern. Cut out all the circles.
2. Cut many lines from the outside edge of each circle toward the center. Do not cut all the way to the center, just about halfway.
3. Each circle should now have many loose, narrow flaps. With your fingers, gently curl each flap toward the center.
4. Glue the circles together in the center so that they are layered from the smallest to the biggest circle.
5. Take a long strip of green paper 2 inches wide and roll it lengthwise so that it makes a long tube like a drinking straw. Tape the loose edge.
6. Cut two leaves from green paper to glue to the stem. See for the pattern.
7. Tape the flower to the top of the stem.
In Mexico, skeletons represent the ghosts of people who have died. On Day of the Dead, it is thought that the ghosts return to visit the places where they lived. Since these ghosts were once friends and relatives, they are not considered scary or evil; in fact, the ghosts like the same people, activities, and foods they did when they were alive. The skeletons look happy to be back. Candies, cookies, and other treats are made in the shape of skulls or skeletons. Make a skeleton-shaped candy basket to hold your Day of the Dead treats.
- 8 -inch 11-inch white card stock paper
- tracing paper
- pencil
- scissors
- markers or crayons
- clear tape
1. Fold the card stock in half so the short sides meet.