The Day of the Dead is Coming

On Monday, I took a walk to the nearest public market, about fifteen minutes from the apartment.  I usually go there to buy avocados for breakfast because often the avocados at the supermarket are either not ripe or overly ripe.

As I expected, the stalls around the exterior of the market building had begun to sell things for the Day of the Dead.  There were all sorts of decorations, banners of "papel picado" (cut paper), tee-shirts, marigolds (both live plants and paper flowers), sugar skull candies ... and, since Halloween has intruded onto the traditional celebration, some jack-o'-lanterns too.

 

When I am here at this time of year, I set up an "ofrenda", the traditional altar honoring the departed.  I did not intend to buy any Day of the Dead merchandise here since later this week I plan to go to the Jamaica Market which probably has the best selection.  However, when I saw this Day of the Dead tablecloth, I had to have it.  I will take the vendor at her word that it is made in Mexico and not China.

Ironically, on my way back from the market, I passed a newsstand and saw this photo on the front page of one of the Mexico City dailies...

The caption above the photo (which was taken at the Jamaica Market) says "The sale of products for the Day of the Dead comes to life."  Under the photo it goes on to say that "in the 334 public markets in Mexico City colorful articles adorn various stalls.  Merchants are confident that sales will return to normal after they plummeted due to the COVID pandemic."