Dia de los Muertos, a holiday celebrated in Mexico on Nov. 2, is being recognized in the Spanish classes this week.

“We are watching the movie ‘Coco’, and I am having my kids take notes on things from the movie, like the plot, family, traditions, things like that,” Spanish teacher Mireya Ramos said. “We are also making the traditional flowers that they put on their altars, which are marigolds or flores de cempasúchil, out of pipe cleaners and colored tissue paper.”

Dia de los Muertos holds great importance and meaning to the people of Mexico, according to Ramos.

“They create altars for their family who have passed away, and on the altars they put the pictures of their family, and they put lots of food and decorations, like flowers and candles and skulls,” Ramos said. “The entire day is spent in the company of friends and family to remember their dead loved ones. I think it’s pretty neat.”

Students in Ramos’ class, including freshman Maggie Qin, share similar opinions about the holiday.

“I think it’s really cool,” Qin said. “It’s really pretty, all the colorful paper cutouts and painted skulls they make as decorations. I like how artsy it is.”

By Kris Rosa