Coming into a foreign country is frightening; but it is even more scary when you are walking into the unknown. You may think, act, and behave differently from other people because your culture and life experiences are different. Holidays are an extensive part of every culture, but every culture has their own holidays that distinguish and make each holiday unique. Even between Spanish-Speaking nations the holidays may be different because of their backgrounds. Not every country will celebrate the same thing. Even when countries do celebrate the same holidays, there is no guarantee that they will celebrate them by the same means. In most countries, traditions are used to welcome the New Year. In America, we have parties with many varieties …show more content…
The Day of the Dead does not just happen on October 31st. The festivities take place over three days. The holiday honors deceased loved ones. Someone coming to America may experience a culture shock as they walk into a completely different holiday. The Day of the Dead originated during the time period of the Nahua tribes. During the holiday, the dead return to the Earth temporarily. An altar is used to welcome the spirits. The altar is loaded with offerings, usually water and food are at the altar, as well as candles and family photos. Calaveras is the Spanish term for skulls. These are placed all around on the Day of the Dead. Calaveras also were known as short witty epitaphs during previous centuries and these are now incorporated into the festivities. (in-text citation here) Halloween in America is celebrated as a fun festivity where children walk around and retrieve candy dressed in costumes. These food does not have as great of a significance or an impact as the food ate in Spanish-Speaking nations during the Day of the Dead. In America, candy is the main “treat” given on October 31st. The food placed on the altar is often the deceased family member’s favorite meal or foods such as; Pan de muerto, sugar skulls, or drinks such as pulque and atole. Coming to America, you may be bewildered at the differences
In digging the day of the dead a distinction between Dia de los Muertos and Halloween is made, the purpose, to highlight the differences and showing the importance and significance of Dia de los Muertos. This ethnography begins by loosely describing Halloween in American culture, it is described as a day where “children dress up as grotesque corpses” and a celebration empty of historic or cultural significance and knowledge. The author Juanita Garciagodoy, later goes on to describe Dia de los Muertos in a romanticized way, by statin that the dead “are not forgotten or excluded from recollections, prayer, or holidays because they are no longer visible” Garciagodoy then goes on to tell a heartfelt story about a couple one holding on to tradition,
In my Spanish 103 class, I have learned a lot about the Hispanic culture. I have looked at the similarities and differences in Hispanic and US culture. In this essay, I will be seeing the similarities and differences in holidays in each culture. Specifically Christmas, Easter, Holy Week, and specific holidays to each culture. I will show how each culture celebrates it then compare and contrast each holiday.
A long time ago more than 500 years ago, there were Spanish Conquistadors who had landed in what is now referred to as central Mexico. Once here they stumbled upon populations of natives who were performing a customary celebration that appeared to simulate death. Dia de los Muertos initiated periods in the past in Mexico, where it is still commonly celebrated to this generation. This festival that takes place over 3 days is a assortment of pre-Hispanic ethnic views and Spanish Catholic philosophies. The Mexican celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, proceeds over the initial 2 days in the month of November. Its beginnings are a concoction of Native American behaviors and a set of Catholic celebrations. The celebration concentrates
Halloween is originated from Ireland, and Day of the Dead was started in Mexico. During Halloween, people usually have various types of candies. Kinds of candies include chocolate, caramels, sugar candies, gummy candies, and much more. On Day of the Dead, Calaveras and pan de los muertos is served, along with many other candies in shapes of coffins, skulls, and skeletons. The symbol for Halloween is the classic jack o’ lantern. Back in the Middle Ages, ritual harvest festival in Welsh, Irish and Gaelic cultures. They were used to guide trick or treaters through the night and keep way evil spirits. Not all the jack o’ lanterns were pumpkins. Some were made out of radishes or squash. The symbol Day of the Dead is the classic skull or skeleton. If you went to a Day of the Dead celebration, you would see happy skeletons on display practically everywhere across city streets. Another important symbol of the Day of the dead is the marigold flower. It is said that the flower draws back to souls of the dead and leads item to the homes of their families. Believe it or not, Halloween is a holiday that is nearly 1300 years old, and it originates from Welsh and Gaelic cultures. It was a holiday evolved from the Samhain, an ancient Celtic holiday. This was a time where the harvests were collected for the winter, and it was believed that since winter was approaching, it would allow the souls of the dead to breach tohe world of the living.
Different cultures have different holiday traditions. At this time of year different cultures are preparing to celebrate Halloween or the Día de los Muertos.These two holidays occur around the same time of year. October 31st is Halloween and the Day of the Dead begins on November 1st and ends on November 2nd. Halloween is an American tradition and the Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico, and other Latin American countries. Both holidays share some similarities but also have some differences.Some common themes between the two holidays are food and religion. For example, Pumpkin is associated with both holidays. And Christianity is the religion associated with both holidays. The symbols for these holidays share some similarities , for example skulls. While Halloween also is associated with ghosts and witches. A big
El Dia de los Muertos was brought to the United States when Mexican-Americans underwent a cultural reawakening in the early 1970s. The holiday's popularity has since spread to other races and cultures. The Day of the Dead celebrates life past and present, and not just death alone. Revelers construct ofrendas, the offerings of food, drinks, cigarettes, toys, and candy, set out for returning souls. Revelers take joy in honoring the dead, usually with music, dancing, crafts and food.
...parts of the celebration, October 31st, November 1st, and finally November 2nd. On October 31st, it is seen that the kid’s souls return. November 1st is considered the adult’s day of returning, and November 2nd is when all souls have returned from the dead and there is a big celebration. People of Mexico celebrate by making many baked goods and cooking meals, making objects such as masks and decorating papers and toy coffins to prepare for the return of the souls.
In The Latino Holiday Book: From Cinco de Mayo to Dia de Los Muertos: The Celebrations and Traditions of Hispanic-Americans, by Valerie Menard, there are numerous amounts of traditions and celebrations for Latinos, most separated by the seasons. In the spring, there are the celebrations of Renewal. During the first week of March, Cuban Americans celebrate Calle Ocho, a celebration similar to Mardi Gras. Named after the street called Little Havana, Miami, this celebration is reserved for salsa dancing to merengue and salsa music as well as eating and drinking before Lent, a tradition where one of the Christian faith sacrifices something for a month. While celebrated mostly by Cuban Americans, the ten day celebration has a multicultural crowd from blacks to other Latinos.
Ah Christmas, it is said to be the most wonderful time of the year. In the United States Christmas is a time of giving and receiving, spending time with your family, and in most Christian families, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is hands-down the most highly commercialized holiday celebrated by Americans. In fact, according to CBS news, the average American will spend $700 on gifts this holiday season, totaling for a whopping $465 billion spent nation-wide. From mall Santas as far as the eye can see, to hearing Christmas music in every retail store you enter. Christmas is a time of high spirits and high spending in the U.S.
Since thanksgiving is coming up, I’ve been reflecting on the things I’m thankful for that I don't thank often enough. One of those things is you. I'm very glad I had you in Spanish for both sixth and seventh grade because you really brought out my love of Spanish. I never thought I had it in me to learn another language but with your help I got an amazing start with Spanish. You always encouraged us students to learn Spanish so that we could actually know it, not just to get our worksheets done. Your Spanish classes have motivated me to continue learning Spanish even after high school.
First things first, let’s talk about the food! On The Day of The Dead, the Mexicans who celebrate this holiday eat many things including something called ‘el pan de muerto.” This round, sweet bread is essential when celebrating the day of the dead. Another dish eaten is something called mole. This is a spicy chocolate sauce that is eaten on this holiday or even on a normal day. Onto Halloween, this holiday is mainly celebrated in America and involves lots of sweets that children eat. Nothing on this holiday is homemade and everything thing is
Each holiday serves to strengthen pride in their own histories and cultures. As people continue these celebrations, they are reminded of who they are, where they came from, and their society’s beliefs and values. Along with this, cultural awareness is also promoted. People from countries all around the world are beginning to celebrate Halloween, and more and more are becoming increasingly aware of Day of the Dead.
In my many countries is celebrated a day to remember the loved ones that perished. Each culture has its own way to celebrate or mourn this date. In the Latin American culture most all the countries in the South America celebrates this day from October 31st to November 2nd. In the U.S we have the Memorial Day that is celebrated in the last Monday of May. However, each place has a way to live the moment and to honor their precious one.
How would you feel if the three most important people in your life were killed, and you had to find away to save the city before that happened to all of them? Well, in the book “Chronicles of Avantia: First Hero,” by Adam Blade, Tanner, and his other three friends, have to try to save Avantia from being over taken by Gor and Derthsin. Tanner is very courageous because he has a lot of courage to do things, and most kids his age wouldn't be able to do the things he does. Not only is he courageous, but he is very brave. He's not scared to do any of the risky things he does, even if they could kill him. He does these risky things to get back at Derthsin and Gor for killing the three main people in his life, which shows he is very caring. He also
Unlike Chinese New Year, New Year’s is always on January 1st every year and no other day. However, the Chinese use its own calendar to determine the New Year day; most other people use different calendars to determine when New Year’s Day is on. In many countries, they use the Babylonian philosophies to determine the time of the New Year. New Year’s around the world all have different traditions to celebrate the holiday, unlike the Chinese, who limit themselves to a few traditions. One of the most known traditions during regular New Year’s is the ball drop in New York. Although the New Year’s around the world is very different from Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year stands out the most, because it has its own traditions that do not need to follow the traditions of the regular new year and does not need to be in the same day every year like the regular new