r/Dia_de_Muertos

¡Hola! And greetings! A “gringo” here. My heritage is probably as far away from Mexico as you can get—Italian and German! But I’ve come to love the color, ceremony, and spirit of Día de los Muertos.

I was introduced to it after I moved from New York to Los Angeles in the late 1970s. A friend took me to a shop that had Day of the Dead figures. I was fascinated. I bought my first calaca, and over the years, my collection of calacas, calaveras, and little Day of the Dead nichos grew exponentially.

That first calaca was riding a bull, one hand raised and holding a tin sword. The whole thing hung from a long spring, and each leg was attached to the torso by springs. If you pulled on it, it would bounce, with the figure’s legs flopping everywhere. Loved that thing! Over the years, it fell apart and was eventually lost in one of my many cross-country moves.

I also fell in love with Mexican culture and its beauty. As a designer, I was drawn to the bold colors, intricate details, and rich artistic traditions. And one thing about those Day of the Dead figures—they were always smiling! It felt so different from the gloom surrounding death in the New York Italian world I grew up in. Here was a celebration. The joy of welcoming back those we have lost and being with them once again, however briefly. That idea touched me.

Plus I was brought up catholic, which observes All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2. So the idea of honoring those who have passed was not foreign. And you guys have better decor!

Right now, I have my Día de los Muertos “display” set up. I don’t call it an ofrenda, because it’s not. It’s more of a fantasy setup with my toys and collection of Day of the Dead–inspired characters. But I put it together with love and respect for your culture.

Almost 50 years later, I still do this with love and respect. And fun. Because seeing my display makes me smile.

And on a side note: “Back in my day,” one of my first online purchases—back in the dark ages of the internet—was a Día de los Muertos nicho! Finding a source for Day of the Dead tchotchkes while living in suburban New York in the late 1990s was amazing! And I haven’t stopped collecting since!

I’m enjoying this sub, seeing your ofrendas and collections, and hearing how you celebrate. Thank you for sharing!

Photo note: The calaca image is an AI recreation based on my memory of the first one I bought in Los Angeles almost 50 years ago. I wanted to be transparent about that.

I've been collecting these Barbies since 2022. Sadly it's not complete though, I missed the 2021 release.

Older picture, so please forgive the quality😊