HOUSTON — There was a special guest at a Día de los Muertos celebration in Houston over the weekend.
Richard Reyes, better known as ‘Planch Claus,’ showed up in his classic red zoot sit and passed out stuffed animals to all the kids.
Pancho Claus said he’s still looking for donations and volunteers to help this Christmas season. If you’re interested, he asks that you reach out on social media.
What is Día de los Muertos?
During the Day of the Dead celebrations that take place in late October and early November in Mexico, the living remember and honor their dearly departed, but with celebration — not sorrow.
Marigolds decorate the streets as music blares from speakers. Adults and children alike dress as skeletons and take photos, capturing the annual joy-filled festivities. It is believed that during the Day of the Dead — or Dia de los Muertos — they are able to commune with their deceased loved ones.
No one knows when the first observance took place, but it is rooted in agriculture-related beliefs from Mexico's pre-Hispanic era, said Andrés Medina, a researcher at the Anthropological Research Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Catholic traditions were incorporated into the celebration after the Spanish conquest in 1521.