Villa Santa Cruz

El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a national holiday in Mexico that is, ironically, full of life, color and energy. The belief is that the spirits of the deceased return once a year to spend time with their families. And so, between October 31 and November 2, Mexican families visit cemeteries, decorate the graves of their loved ones, and rejoice in the reunion of their families – the past with the present. With delicious food and lively music, the Day of the Dead is actually a celebration of life. 

In the town of Todos Santos, with a healthy mix of both Mexicans and Gringos, the juxtaposition of the celebrations of American Halloween and Mexican Day of the Dead are a bit peculiar at first glance. The two holidays are based on completely opposite ideas of death – Halloween stems from an innate fear of ghosts and spirits while the Day of the Dead is a joyous time to reunite with deceased friends and family members. However, as the centuries have ticked by, and Halloween has morphed from a superstitious terror-invoking event into a secular, community-oriented festivity, the spirit of the two holidays now seem to complement each other. 

Here in Todos Santos, Halloween and Day of the Dead revelry are in full force. The Sandbar hosted a wild Halloween party on Friday night, followed by the traditional costume extravaganza at the Hotel California on Saturday night. And, the streets and storefronts in Todos Santos are festively decorated for the Day of the Dead. The traditional Mexican Catrina, the well-dressed skeleton figurine seen all over Mexico, has made a grand appearance at La Garra Bar, the Cultural Center is decorated with a Day of the Dead altar, and a skeleton has even saddled up to the bar at Cafelix. At Villa Santa Cruz, the beautiful talavera urn that adorns our staircase reminds us of this lively holiday year-round. What a time to be in Todos Santos!

  

La Garra Bar's Catrina

The Cultural Center

   

Cafelix's Bony Patron

Villa Santa Cruz Urn