Dia De Los Muertos aka Day of the Dead (sparkly skeletons!)

After Halloween, most of us skip straight to Thanksgiving.  However, while we are breaking out our thanksgiving table cloths, dish rags, and turkey shaped window clings, those in mexico are celebrating Dia De Los Muertos or in english Day of the Day.    This holiday is celebrated on November 1 and 2.  According to www.MexicanSugarSkull.com  "[those who celebrate] believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them."  Traditions of Dia De Los Muertos include family gatherings, food, decorations and perhaps the most well known symbol of the holiday, the Sugar Skull, according to www.mexicansugarskull.com,  "Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments."  Although I have no spanish blood in my veins, I was always drawn to the sugar skull.  On a recent trip to Old Town San Diego, CA, I came across a little shop that specializes in the sugar skull.  Although, for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the shop, I remember the beauty of the glitter adorned skeleton figurines and the brightly painted skulls that filled it. Here are some photos I took at the shop.

Out of all the hundreds of skeleton figures and skulls I came across in this shop (and in other various places around the town) I chose to purchase two of the glittery skeleton figurines.  

The one in the pink dress I named Ezmerelda, I haven't come up with a name for the one in the black dress so if you have any ideas let me know! Remember, it must be sexy and spanish!  Anyway, these two beautiful Dia De Los Muertos skeletons watch over me and my roommates everyday (although I think my roommates are a little freaked out by them).  I'm just hoping that when I die, I still look as hot as these two do in their glittery dresses.