Description

For lots of people, Halloween is the big “dress up” night of the year. It’s usually an excuse to choose a silly costume, eat a little too much candy and party a little too hard. When Nov. 1 rolls round, they pick themselves up, peel off whatever cheap polyester outfit they were wearing, and go back to normal life.Frankly, we pity those people.You see, there are so many other crazy holidays out there that charmingly fuse death with out-of-this-world partying. Probably the best one of all is the Day of the Dead. This Mexican holiday starts the same day as Halloween, but it lasts a full three days. Imagine that: three days of partying, three days of dress-up, three days of junk food. That’s like Halloween, but three times better!If you don’t know the history, here’s a crash-course. Day of the Dead rituals trace back for thousands of years, starting with pre-Columbia cultures scattered across Mexico. Originally, according to the Aztec calendar, it was celebrated in August-and it lasted a whole month. (We can’t even imagine the food comas afterwards.) By the 20th century, the event had been condensed down to three days. The whole point is to honor loved ones who’ve passed away, from decorating their graves to eating their favorite foods. But it’s definitely not a somber, joyless experience. It’s a chance to celebrate good memories and have fun.If you want in on this, the first thing to do is to find a great costume for one of the many parades that sweep through town. We suggest our Day of the Dead Doll Plus Size costume. The peasant-style blouse is trimmed with rickrack, ribbon and lace, and can be worn on or off-the-shoulder, while the satin skirt has alternating tiers of stripes and solid colors, along with a matching rickrack and lace trim. The stiffened satin belt fastens with Velcro at the back for a snug fit. Slip this on and start a party to wake the dead!