Some of the items on my Day of the Dead living room altar include a Day of the Dead book, carnations, butterflies and photos…

Day of the Dead is tomorrow and I just finished up my altars at home this afternoon.  I feel like the celebration snuck up on me this year with all the traveling I’ve been doing lately.  Last year I decided I would use real marigolds on my altars in the dining room rather than the silk ones from the craft store.  Well, that didn’t happen…  I also wanted to go through all my photos and bring some new ones out of some of my family that’s gone.  Again, that didn’t happen…I am in the process of moving my ginormous stash of photos and slides to my daughter’s old room so things are a little disorganized at the moment.

A copy of a photo of the some of the Wilson children…front and center is my mother-in-law, Johnnie. Behind her are her brothers Jim and Bob and to her right is her sister Joyce. Uncle Jim was the last remaining Wilson sibling and he passed away this October.

All this feeling of disorganization went away last night as I added the last photos to my altars and a few new touches.  Funny how things just come together when you need them to and this evening I am so pleased with the result.  I just want these altars to be a special tribute to the family that is now gone, especially the recent losses we have experienced.  Earlier this year we lost my cousin Chila – Orcilia Zuniga Forbes quite suddenly.  Just a few weeks ago, we lost my husband’s Uncle, James Edward Wilson who was 93.  So sad to be adding more people but at the same time, it’s good to remember them, their accomplishments and the love we had and continue to have for them.

My cousin, Chila – Orcilia Zuniga Forbes – who passed away suddenly a few months ago. I love this photo of her that is on the Meyers Trust website in tribute to her service on this foundation.

I set tea-light candles out on the altars this afternoon and took photos of everything.  Tomorrow, I will light the candles and spend some time with my altars remembering the good times and wonderful lives of our family members who are no longer with us physically.

This photo of Uncle Jim kept getting reposted on Facebook shortly after his death. I love this picture…a gentle and good man in the presence of animals.