Hype up your holidays with death, demons and root vegetables

Each year at the end of October and beginning of November, people in Mexico decorate and celebrate to honor the dead during Dia de Los Muertos. People don traditional clothing and paint their faces with the distinct skull designs of La Catrina, a satirical character who flaunts her indifference to death. They decorate grave sites with flowers and tell stories about dead friends and family.

Before the Spanish brought Catholicism to South America, the Andean people celebrated a brief return of the dead from the underworld each spring. Departed friends and relatives brought good tidings and good luck for plentiful rainfall and an abundant harvest. Once Catholicism took hold, this Day of the Dead celebration mingled with All Saints’ Day. Today this dual holiday is celebrated with a decidedly Bolivian flair.

Bolivian families anticipate that their returning dead relatives will be hungry, so they set a place at the table for the deceased and prepare favorite foods and drink for a big meal on November 1. On November 2, Bolivians escort the spirits of their dead back to cemeteries with a lively processional that includes artists, musicians and food stalls. Grave sites are spruced up with fresh flowers and a good cleaning. Families leave behind masitas, which are special sweet breads made in special shapes. Some are shaped like ladders to represent the Catholic tradition of ascending to heaven.

Before the wholesome Christmas celebrations begin, Guatemalan Christians ward off evil spirits and negative energy with a symbolic cleansing. Every December 7, families in Guatemala sweep up trash and grime from their homes and heap it in the street for a big bonfire. At the top of the fires, they burn effigies of Satan.

This century-old holiday is celebrated every December 23 in Oaxaca, Mexico. The tradition began when merchants tried to attract shoppers on their way to and from Christmas church services with intricate vegetable displays. The merchants carved radishes into people, animals and other decorative shapes. The most imaginative and skillfully carved radishes would be snatched up to be used as centerpieces on holiday tables.

In 1897 Oaxaca’s mayor officially declared December 23 to be the Night of the Radishes. Each year, professional artists and amateur whittlers transform humble radishes into nativity scenes, alligators, churches and other creations.