Fall Festivities: Halloween and Día de los Muertos 🍂🎃💀
A celebration of culture, history, and community through the vibrant festivities of Halloween and Día de los Muertos.
¡Hola viajeros, aventureros y amantes de Halloween y Día de los Muertos!
Hello travelers, adventurers, and lovers of Halloween and Día de los Muertos journeys!
Fall is here! Where did the summer go? The leaves are changing, the weather is cooler, and our neighborhoods are scarier.
Here’s a cute black lab barking at Halloween decorations while walking around the block!
Carving Memories 🎃
As the leaves fall and the air chills, nothing says fall like pumpkins. Perfect for families and friends to gather, carve jack-o’-lanterns, and enjoy seasonal treats. Don’t forget to share a pumpkin pie or my favorite, pumpkin spice waffles!
What’s more fun than watching the 1966 classic, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, while the Peanuts gang celebrates and Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin?
Oregon Gets Scary in October 💀
The Davis Graveyard is a local Portland legend. With life-sized gravestones, eerie lighting, and detailed props, it transforms an ordinary front yard into a hauntingly magical experience that attracts visitors from all over.
Our neighborhood by the lake has so many fun decorations. This year I better get an extra bag or two of candy and chocolates for the trick-or-treaters. This year there are more skeletons than I can remember ever before.
Honoring Día de los Muertos 🕯️
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a deeply meaningful tradition that follows Halloween from October 31 to November 2.
This holiday honors deceased loved ones with roots in pre-Hispanic traditions of the Aztecs and Nahua people. When Spanish colonizers arrived in the 16th century, they brought Catholic traditions like All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, blending with indigenous celebrations to create the modern Día de los Muertos.
Families create ofrendas (altars) adorned with marigolds, candles, photos, and favorite foods of the departed. These altars serve as a welcoming space for the spirits to return and join the living in celebration. The atmosphere is filled with music, dance, and colorful decorations.
Check out the movie Coco inspired by the celebration in Paztcuaro, Mexico.
For more ideas on how to make the most of this magical season, check out my story from last year: Are You Ready For Some Pumpkin Fun?