Seattle author Maria Semple has written the "Shouts & Murmurs" column in this week's New Yorker. It begins like this:

Hi, everyone!
The Mountain Room is gearing up for its Day of the Dead celebration on Friday. Please send in photos of loved ones for our altar. All parents are welcome to come by on Wednesday afternoon to help us make candles and decorate skulls.
Thanks!
Emily

...and then things quickly get hilarious. Go read it.