Two years ago, we ate dinner at Puerto Il Mar (across from where the fishermen sell their catch). It was lovely, watching the moms and dads with their little ones in various costumes.

The restaurant provided some wrapped candies for us, if the kids approached. Great fun!

I guess not if it involves any customs/traditions from outside of Zihuatanejo! Most families/parents encourage their children to learn other nations customs and allow them to make their own choices. But if the custom or practice is engrained in the U.S. it is frowned upon by some, will be interesting to see as we are in the area during day of the dead celebrations.

Have fun.

Well Mexico kind of did:
" But in 1989 the San Antonio based Gambrinus Group, who were the regional importers of Corona and Grupo Modelo, launched a Cinco de Mayo themed ad encouraging Mexican Americans already celebrating the holiday to make it a priority on this day to drink Mexican beer. The campaign took off.

What occurred in only eight short years was the holiday solidifying itself more as a time to drink Corona than a time to acknowledge the deep connection America and Mexico share. By 1996, consuming Corona as a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo was the core way most people acknowledged the holiday’s existence, a huge victory for the Corona marketers. That year Gambrinus marketing manager Don Mann said, “Corona is the first thing that comes to mind when customers think Cinco de Mayo.”

However, while I am saddened by the incursion of Halloween into Mexico, I don't think the blame can go to gringos giving out candy. Globalization has made US TV and movies available in Mexico (the Z theater has the same opening date as any US theater) and with that the wide understanding of holidays. And all the stores in Zihuatanejo are full of Halloween costumes and bags to carry to collect candy and downtown all the stores and restaurants have bought there big bags of candy to give out to the increasing swarms of kids in really complicated costumes for, yes, three nights saying Jalaquin with a smile. I don't think, sadly, that today we can turn this back.

You appear unaware that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the USA as another mass marketing ploy just like St. Patrick's Day. It is not celebrated in Mexico in any manner remotely similar to the USA where it is simply another excuse to mostly sell a lot of booze. Mexico didn't export that "celebration" at all, and it is surprising to Mexicans to see that the USA treats it as some kind of party celebration.

Well Mexico kind of did:
" But in 1989 the San Antonio based Gambrinus Group, who were the regional importers of Corona and Grupo Modelo, launched a Cinco de Mayo themed ad encouraging Mexican Americans already celebrating the holiday to make it a priority on this day to drink Mexican beer. The campaign took off.

What occurred in only eight short years was the holiday solidifying itself more as a time to drink Corona than a time to acknowledge the deep connection America and Mexico share. By 1996, consuming Corona as a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo was the core way most people acknowledged the holiday’s existence, a huge victory for the Corona marketers. That year Gambrinus marketing manager Don Mann said, “Corona is the first thing that comes to mind when customers think Cinco de Mayo.”

However, while I am saddened by the incursion of Halloween into Mexico, I don't think the blame can go to gringos giving out candy. Globalization has made US TV and movies available in Mexico (the Z theater has the same opening date as any US theater) and with that the wide understanding of holidays. And all the stores in Zihuatanejo are full of Halloween costumes and bags to carry to collect candy and downtown all the stores and restaurants have bought there big bags of candy to give out to the increasing swarms of kids in really complicated costumes for, yes, three nights saying Jalaquin with a smile. I don't think, sadly, that today we can turn this back.

Two years ago, we ate dinner at Puerto Il Mar (across from where the fishermen sell their catch). It was lovely, watching the moms and dads with their little ones in various costumes.

The restaurant provided some wrapped candies for us, if the kids approached. Great fun!

we look forward to handing out treats to children, seeing their costumes and smiling faces. Hats off to the parents of these children for allowing some fun to enter their lives.

See for yourself...Google 'Halloween in mexico'

Why would you possibly take delight in offending local sensibilities? Is it just because I mentioned it? Yes, you will see some folks with children seeking free candy and money for 3 days in a row. They have no idea about the Anglo culture, only that foreigners will give them money or candy if they ask for it. Why would you insist on diluting Día de Muertos with Madison Avenue's U.S. style Halloween? Of course you are free to be disrespectful of local culture if you like even after having it brought to you attention, but that's all you're doing besides contributing to the poor health and poor manners of some children. Local parents have had this discussion with local schools for years because it bothers locals to have our culture disrespected by foreigners and folks from other places. It's bad enough you insist locals speak your language, but in an era where diabetes is a national epidemic thanks to the U.S. products Coca-Cola and Pepsi, imposing your culture on local Mexicans just because you can and teaching local kids to ask for candy is extremely unhelpful. If you're so determined to be a disrespectful visitor I guess nothing I say will stop you.

Two years ago, we ate dinner at Puerto Il Mar (across from where the fishermen sell their catch). It was lovely, watching the moms and dads with their little ones in various costumes.

The restaurant provided some wrapped candies for us, if the kids approached. Great fun!

we look forward to handing out treats to children, seeing their costumes and smiling faces. Hats off to the parents of these children for allowing some fun to enter their lives.

See for yourself...Google 'Halloween in mexico'

The restaurant provided some wrapped candies for us, if the kids approached. Great fun!

:so why is it that we NOTB's must deal with Cinco de Mayo and other Mexican festivities that are not a part of our culture. Once again it sounds like the white man must bow to others so as not to upset anyone. But you know, we've accepted it and I say get over it and accept it. There is money to be made by all. The world is growing and I'm sure a lot of Mexican families NOTB are sending their . Can't we all just have fun?

I guess not if it involves any customs/traditions from outside of Zihuatanejo! Most families/parents encourage their children to learn other nations customs and allow them to make their own choices. But if the custom or practice is engrained in the U.S. it is frowned upon by some, will be interesting to see as we are in the area during day of the dead celebrations.

So why is it that we NOTB's must deal with Cinco de Mayo and other Mexican festivities that are not a part of our culture. Once again it sounds like the white man must bow to others so as not to upset anyone. But you know, we've accepted it and I say get over it and accept it. There is money to be made by all. The world is growing and I'm sure a lot of Mexican families NOTB are sending their kids out to Trick or Treat just like NOTB kids want to break pinatas for the birthdays. It could be in a good sense, What goes around, Comes around. Can't we all just have fun?

You appear unaware that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the USA as another mass marketing ploy just like St. Patrick's Day. It is not celebrated in Mexico in any manner remotely similar to the USA where it is simply another excuse to mostly sell a lot of booze. Mexico didn't export that "celebration" at all, and it is surprising to Mexicans to see that the USA treats it as some kind of party celebration.

Money to be made? Most of the worthwhile things in life are NOT money. Día de Muertos is a solemn event, not an Irish wake.

Darn those foreign ideas and Inventions! A real positive that mexico and other countries accepted Alexander Graham Bells light bulb concept! Just saying it's not all bad.

So why is it that we NOTB's must deal with Cinco de Mayo and other Mexican festivities that are not a part of our culture. Once again it sounds like the white man must bow to others so as not to upset anyone. But you know, we've accepted it and I say get over it and accept it. There is money to be made by all. The world is growing and I'm sure a lot of Mexican families NOTB are sending their kids out to Trick or Treat just like NOTB kids want to break pinatas for the birthdays. It could be in a good sense, What goes around, Comes around. Can't we all just have fun?

I know you mean well, but there is a lot of resentment against folks from other places imposing their culture on what little remains of our increasingly diluted and disappearing local culture. Halloween is mostly a marketing ploy in most Anglo countries where it is observed. In contrast, Día de Muertos is a solemn event. Unfortunately the marketing ploy has taken root here mostly from foreigners and Mexicans from Mexico City where much U.S. culture is imitated thanks to mass media marketing and the presence of many U.S. corporate chain businesses.

Lots of locals frown on this lack of respect towards local culture, and unfortunately it foments animosity towards outsiders, something I would hope no one would knowingly contribute to.

Día de Muertos

Darn those foreign ideas and Inventions! A real positive that mexico and other countries accepted Alexander Graham Bells light bulb concept! Just saying it's not all bad.

Sorry! The kids on our street are awesome & kinda look forward to their Halloween/ Dia de Muertos treats. Always have the treats with me, even if I see them 3/4 times in 10 minutes. How hard is that?! the smiles...omg!!!

I know you mean well, but there is a lot of resentment against folks from other places imposing their culture on what little remains of our increasingly diluted and disappearing local culture. Halloween is mostly a marketing ploy in most Anglo countries where it is observed. In contrast, Día de Muertos is a solemn event. Unfortunately the marketing ploy has taken root here mostly from foreigners and Mexicans from Mexico City where much U.S. culture is imitated thanks to mass media marketing and the presence of many U.S. corporate chain businesses.

Lots of locals frown on this lack of respect towards local culture, and unfortunately it foments animosity towards outsiders, something I would hope no one would knowingly contribute to.

Día de Muertos

Hola
Thanks for your comments. I will be leaving the sweets back in Canada this year.

Hola
Will be down in late October for the winter. Every year we bring down 'treats' for Halloween. Is this a Mexican tradition or is this just a USA/Canada/where ever tradition? In Zihua the 'treaters' are around for three days, the same as the Day of the Dead observances. Are we doing wrong by perpetuating a tradition that is not ( or is it ) Mexican? Help please.

Halloween probably got transplanted to México via whatever white folks arrived and observed it. Whether there is any connection to any indigenous observances, I know not. This link from the Library of Congress Halloween will give you some good background. The celebration is basically a Christian paste-over of ancient Druid and Celtic harvest observances around the autumn cross-quarter day, basically November 1.

As such the connection to Dia de Muertos is tenuous at best, and my preference would be not to promote it.