Sugar Skulls

Sugar skulls have become a traditional part of the Day of the Dead celebration. The skulls are most often created as a gift for a deceased relative or friend. They are a common sight at most Day of the Dead altars, and are brought to grave sites as well. The tradition is very important to strict observers of the holiday, and has also become a fun craft for children. Tucson has adopted this tradition, and sugar skulls have become a staple of the Tucson Meet Yourself celebration every fall. (Left: My dad, Larry Taylor, with a sign explaining Tucson Meet Yourself)

The pictures below are of children at Tucson Meet Yourself creating their own sugar skulls, and learning about the special Mexican tradition.

The skulls at Tucson Meet Yourself were pre-made because they take 24 hours to harden and dry. These childen began the process with adding the frosting, which is what the young boy to the left is about to do. The little girl to the right is recording her name as she prepares to decorate her sugar skull.

The skulls are made from a mixture of granulated sugar, meringue powder and water, and are placed in a mold to get their shape.

After adding frosting, which is a mixture of powdered sugar, meringue powder and water, the children added other decorations to make their skulls unique. These kids used feathers and glitter to create their own special sugar skull.

Traditional Mexican sugar skulls are decorated with foil and colored icing, and bear the name of the deceased loved one. However, children (or adults - whoever is making the skull) can add a variety of decorations to their skull such as beads, sequins or shells. Anything can be used to personalize the skull for the one it is being made for.

For a more detailed "how-to" about making sugar skulls, click here.