Noche de Rabanos, or Night of the Radishes, is a tradition stretching back more than a century, since 1897 in Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca’s then-mayor turned the radish-carving tradition into an official celebration every year on December 23rd. The actual event was initally created as a marketing ploy by the farmers to get customers to purchase their produce before and after church during the Christmas season. The radish carvings were used to decorate the dinning room table. Since then, the radishes are grown larger than normal to allow for intricate designs. The radishes do not last long once carved so participants do not start carving till the morning and judging by 9pm on the same day.
Utilizing the historical reference of radishes and their role as a decorative table center piece during the Christmas season in Oaxaca, Mexico, a carving of a sugar skull will be illustrated and exagerated with embelishments to signify the ideals of the Night of the Radishes event.
