It’s a new month and you know what that means, new stickers! Our October Sticker of the Month features a sugar skull design created by Tom Shannon our Senior Web Designer. This design is an ode not only to the feeling intrinsic to October but also pays homage to the second half of Hispanic Heritage Month.
When Tom explained how he designed this month’s sticker he said, “The sugar skull in my piece is loosely inspired by Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. I wanted to ensure that the Kitsap Credit Union sugar skull has a friendly and approachable look. This fun and whimsical style reflects our core values of Collaboration, Authenticity, Responsibility, and Integrity.”
Here’s a look at how Tom incorporated our core values within the design elements:
- Collaboration: Interlocking floral patterns around the eyes, symbolizing unity and working together.
- Authenticity: A bold, heart-shaped nose, representing sincerity and staying true to oneself.
- Responsibility: Tree & mountain motif on the forehead, symbolizing balance, growth, and accountability.
- Integrity: A key representing trust and moral principles.
Wondering what a sugar skull is and where it comes from? Sugar skulls are a confection molded from sugar paste created for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in Mexico. Sugar skulls or calaveras, are a traditional offering made on ofrendas (memorials to loved ones) since they mark the sweetness of life.
Figures have been created for ofrendas and religious traditions for generations in Mexican culture. At one time, they were made of amaranth, a grain seen as more valuable than rice or corn, but when the Spanish came to Mexico and brought sugar, and the Italian “Alfeñique” (folk art confections made from sugar paste) sugar skulls were adapted into Mexican culture and they’re still used today!
While many Día de los Muertos officially begins on Oct. 31 and celebrations go into November, understanding the history behind the sugar skull is an important part of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month when we recognize and learn more about the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
