Decorating sugar skulls in preparation for celebrating the Day of the Dead on Nov. 1 has a special meaning for Valeria Villasana of Gurnee. It is a way to help her remember her grandmother, who died three years ago, and ensure her children remember something about their great-grandmother.

Decorated sugar skulls are used to help create an altar when people of Mexican and other Latin American heritages remember deceased relatives. Villasana said both remembering loved ones and teaching her children about their heritage are why she brought them to a sugar skull workshop.

“I want to pass this tradition on to our children,” she said. “I want my children to know about her.”

“This way, they will be able to tell their grandchildren about their great, great, great grandmother,” added Noel Villas

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