Apparently, the people of Mexico spend a good portion of the year preparing for the Day of the Dead. I was amazed at how important this day was in a predominantly Catholic society. Today, in the United States, Samhain has become a fest tailored to children that has little or no meaning for the mainstream adult. Yet in Mexico, the pre-Hispanic reverence for this day continues into the present. The celebrations for the Day of the Dead have their roots in this Aztec myth: Human mortality is the result of an accident. On a journey to Mictlan, the ninth and deepest level of the underworld, misfortune befell Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent. This was the realm of the Lord of Death, Mictlantecuhtli, and his consort, Mictlancihautl. There the precious bones were kept, the remains of the previous beings who had inhabited the earth before its destruction. This was the fourth time that the earth, or "sun," has been destroyed by cataclysmic events. Poised at the moment after the end of the fourth sun, the gods were troubled, for now there was no one to live on earth. Quetzalcoatl therefore undertook to make this journey, telling the Lord of Mictlan that he had come to collect and take away the precious bones: "What will you do with them, Quetzalcoatl?" asked Mictlantecuhtli, and Quetzalcoatl told him of the gods' predicament. Mictlantecuhtli set seemingly impossible odds for the removal of the bones, which Quetzalcoatl overcame by magical means. Finally, gathering up the bones of man and woman, he left the Dead Land; but he stumbled, startled by quail. The precious bones fell and were scattered and damaged by the quail, who bit into them and nibbled them. Bundling up the bones once more, Quetzalcoatl finally reached Tamoanchan, the paradise of the Aztecs. There, the bones were ground up by the earth goddess, Cihuacoatl, and fertilized by Quetzalcoatl's own blood. From them arose a new race of human beings, who were however fatally flawed: Because of the damage the bones had suffered, the inhabitants of the earth were mortal. All the gods did penance, and since that time, humankind has owed the gods a reciprocal debt of penance. Clearly, this myth conveys the idea that life arises out of death as well as stressing the interdependency and interaction between humans and the gods. The Spanish conquest brought the Catholic missionaries to Mesoamerica. But unlike the medieval Church's partial successes in converting pagan holidays into Christian observances, the Spanish missionaries' efforts could not shake the need of the people to celebrate the Day of the Dead for what it really was. So how do the people of Mexico celebrate this Day of the Dead? With feasts, dancing and parades, of course! Days are spent preparing various foods in offering to those who have passed before; bread is formed into the shapes of bones, skulls are shaped from sugary candy and decorated with icing, and sometimes skulls are shown emerging from pumpkins. The towns are decorated with skeletons in shop-front windows, sometimes with extensive comical scenes and other times with more somber scenes. And the graves are cleaned and dressed, with tombs being decorated in many forms. When the time comes to take the offerings to the cemeteries, there may be grand parades with a lot of music-making and dancing or there may be solemn processions. Typically, the food is set out and before any feasting is done by the living, the dead are given the chance to partake of the essence of the offering. After the people sense that the spirits of the dead have had their fill, then the celebrations begin again. There is chanting, songs that poke fun at local figures, laughter and of course the living feast upon the physical essence of the offerings. Many times the visits to the cemeteries end in night-long candlelight vigils in order to more intensely interact with the spirits, who won't be back till this time next year. In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is seen as a time of reunion. There is nothing macabre about the event: The returning souls do not bring the odor of death and the grave with them. They come as spirits who have returned from another world. I found this knowledge to be very refreshing. In reading about traditional Wiccan Samhain rites, I was disappointed with their ultrasolemn nature. In my family's celebrations, I want to include the gaiety of today's Halloween, but give it some meaning that my children can relate to as they get older. The Mexican Day of the Dead captures this very essence. This year, instead of sitting at home fretting over Halloween, I am organizing a children's Day of the Dead celebration. There's going to be feasting on potluck dishes and the traditional Halloween games with much candy. And of course, the children may come dressed in the costume of their choice. My son wants to be a bat. Children and parents alike are encouraged to attend and invite their loved ones from the other side. I am hoping to focus the fest on a food donation to be placed upon the altar in honor of those who have passed over. After the party is over, the food will be donated to a shelter for the needy. This party is taking place at the Edge of the Circle Books, in their basement meeting room. Celebrations begin at 1 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. on October 29. If you are planning to attend, please bring a nonperishable food item. (Even ramen noodles are acceptable.) Potluck dishes should be finger foods. I hope to see you there.