Not my favorite Cross Nicho!
photo via VintageToGoEtsy
And in honor of her Father and those before her decided that a celebration of life was in order with a Day of the Dead Party!
Side Note: How cool is that? A double birthday party celebrating life from the past to present! Happy Birthday my cross nicho rescuer! And I wish you many more!
photo via VintageToGoEtsy
It's a Mexican tradition for honoring your ancestors, but it crosses into many cultures around the world. Often families have a small gathering at the grave site in honor of their loved ones and clean and decorate the grave site with marigold garlands, candles, etc and your ancestors favorite food, drinks and traditional foods, like sugar skulls.
At home you might tidy up and renew a nicho ofrenda, a private alter or shadow box shrine area that has memories and keepsakes in it, like their personal possessions, their Saint day and other religious objects.
I remember when it was just an informal quaint tradition, but it's becoming more and more commercial now. It seems now people in my area of Los Angeles have parties and advertised public whole reunion celebrations at cemeteries now.
From wiki, The celebration takes place on October 31, November 1 and November 2, in connection with the Christian triduum of Hallowmas: All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The holiday has spread throughout the world: In Brazil Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.
photo via VintageToGoEtsyMost of them have sold last year and there are few pieces left in three shops, here at VintageToGoEtsy, here at HoarderRehab, here at The Destiny of Things and here at JunkDrawerLoveEtsy. My handmade religious folk art is here at The Destiny of Things.
It left with it's crooked candle and a penny stuck to it's top! I have no idea how they got like that! I used to put either put little colorful religious knick knacks or my ancestor family things, like my Grandfather's jeweler's magnifying glass and scarf pin from my Grandmother in the little side compartments of the cross.
Here is how I used it:
I had a Day of the Dead ofrenda (shrine) since the 80s and changed it weekly until the late 90s. It makes the perfect focal wall decor for one! I would put my paternal ancestor pictures on the left side of the cross and my maternal ones on the right of it. Makes a beautiful display with sepia and black and white photos.
Just when I thought I had opened all my Day of the Dead boxes and had listed them last year, I
found this one in my "other" religious box with my Buddhist and Catholic - Christian box.
I have my Grandparents Buddhist shrine that my Shinto Grandfather made from scrap wood and sardine cans for my Buddhist Grandmother during their internment in the War Relocation Camp. I also have Tenrikyo in my family too! I mixed them all together to honor my ancestors during the various cultural acknowledgments, for instance in Vietnam, the entire month of August is for honoring your parents alive or past and your ancestors with charity work, good deeds and donations.
So on display in a section of my living room there used to be a Multi-Religious corner with all my family ancestors religious artifacts, shrines mixed in with all the ones I loved too! It was very eclectic! For instance, my Grandmother's Buddhist shrine sat on top of my other Grandmother's Tenriyko stand.
photo via VintageToGoEtsy
Saying Goodbye: This was a tad difficult, only because if I weren't allergic to their metals and the dust they collect as wall art I'd never have parted with them all! However, it couldn't have gone to a better new life. I know I'm in good company when someone turning 50 with their best friend celebrates by remembering their ancestors with my cross nicho!
In my family with so many different religions we seem to be honoring life and our ancestors on a regular basis! So much so that when my brother and I were in our teens, we just called them, "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid Parties," which got shortened to "Dead Men Parties" after the film starring, Steve Martin. A comedy mystery movie is both a parody of, and an homage to film noir and the pulp detective movies of the 1940s. The movie was okay and I don't really remember it, except the title!
Here are some pix of my favorites that are still available, starting with my most most favorite! I know it's a little late if you want these for Day of the Dead, but it's never too late to honor your ancestors!
This is a three way nicho retablo! Three pictures in one! Walk by one way and it's Mother Mary and baby
Jesus, walk pass the other and it's Infant of Prague with Mother!
Straight on it's Lady of Guadalupe or the Virgin Mary! See the other two pictures here!
This is my last available nicho, it's quite large with birds, but turtle shaped! See more here!
One of my creations of mixed media art influenced by my Mexican Religious Folk Art collection that spilled into Russian Folk Art. I used a Russian Saint Michael Plaque and Tibetan bone skull rosary beads. Visit it here for different views.
"When Angels Meet," made by me also with 140 beaded pins. This has an insteresting descriptions, read it and see more different views of it, here
These are my handmade milagro crosses, I made the garden cross to turn my black thumb into a green one and one as a lover's cross, click on the highlighted links to read more about them.
Last but not least, I love Day of the Dead kitsch! This triples as a vase, candle holder and incense burner! Just add some sand to the bottom of it to hold a tall candle and incense. I have it in cobalt blue here and in deep red, here.
What I Learned:
1. Obviously my love for Mexican Religious Folk Art or any Folk Art from any culture is alive and well! I am so inspired and enthusiastic about it's beauty and kitschiness! However, I have to take pre cautions to not go overboard and remember that my goal is to have Minimalist Organic home with minimal things to dust because my allergies do not tolerate it and dust bunnies can become life threatening monsters! (Well, only if they mix with mold)
2. I've never seen another cross nicho, except on the wall of good friend of mine. So I can visit mine here or go over there and see it lit with a candle over a cup of tea!
How will you honor your ancestors from October 31 to November 2? I will burn a little incense, tidy up my Grandmother's Buddhist shrine and go through pix of my ancestors and thank them for something.
Thank you Etsy buyer from VintageToGoEtsy for sending me an email. I am so happy you found the cross nicho as perfect as I do and that it is now one of your favorites! I am fortunate it belongs to you now and I find relief knowing it's in good care! Thank you. And thank you for letting me know...
Thank you Denny from Antique 'n': Jewelry for asking for an explanation of "Day of the Dead," sending me inspirational emails every once in awhile and for your good guy discount! Check out his shop with over 250 items, including handmade earrings, toys and more!
Thank you Etsy for making some cross roads meet for more than one unique connections! Nothing like a win win situation!
Thank you US, Canada, Germany, France, Malaysia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand and Ukraine for your visits the past few days and joining me in my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!
Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab, The Destiny of Things and VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy!
There are about 84 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and will be
listing 1-3 new things there daily and 1-2 items at the other shops! Maybe you'll help me downsize and share your story! Thanks for looking!
Related Stories:
1. My Virgin Mary Tin Nicho: It went to a home where someone knew it was going to need some time to settle in before it found it's perfect comfy spot and what exactly would go inside it. Read it here!
2. Coincidental Copper Anniversaries: Sacred Heart Mexican Tin Nichos: The Destiny of Things, Story #10 and #11
3. From Hoarder Lite: Mexican Folk Art Tin Frame and Cards, The Destiny of Things, Story #21
4. Day of the Dead Wedding Topper made with my skull bead destash, read it here! Thank you Jim Gould at Etsy shop, Your Tops! Also a confessed hoarder or at least questioning it by his wife's acknowledgements! See his handmade Day of the Dead wedding cake topper with my white skull bead destash here!
!Feliz Dia de los Muertos! Happy Day of the Dead! oh and Happy Halloween first!
Hi Kennedy, You have inspired me to start a new tradition on Halloween of honoring those who we have lost. The kids are coming tomorrow and I will introduce them to this, it's so important to have pride in your family.
ReplyDeleteI was sadden to read your grandparents were interred at a war camp, but happy that you have the shrine your grandfather mad from sardine cans and scrap wood. Please, please would you add a picture of the shrine to this blog.
It would make my vision complete.
Keep up the good work,
love ya kid,
Ali and Alley Cat