The two-day Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) festival brings the living and the dead together. To remember their departed family members who have passed, families make ofrendas (Offerings). These altars are embellished with images of the deceased, bright yellow marigold flowers, and the honoree’s preferred snacks and beverages. The deceased souls are thought to be encouraged to attend the afterlife by the offerings because they can hear the prayers, smell the food, and participate in the festivities!
The Day of the Dead is a unique celebration that honors both life and death. It is unlike any holiday where joy is substituted for sadness.
“Throughout the Day of the Dead, family members are recalled by having a food together just as they would have while they were still alive”
When is the day of the dead?
Nov 1st, 12 am
Spirits of the children
The event known as Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels) begins at midnight on November 1, when it is thought that all deceased children’s spirits will be reunited with their families for a whole 24-hour period. To entice a visit from their deceased children, families erect an altar, known as an ofrenda, filled with the deceased child’s favorite foods, candies, toys, and photos. On a sugar skull, the names of the deceased children are frequently written.
Nov 2nd, 12 am
Spirits of the adult
The festivities change to honor the lives of the deceased adults at midnight on November 2. Like the night before, this one is full with smiles and enjoyable memories. In addition, families enjoy time spent together playing games, remembering loved ones, and dancing to the music of the local band.
Nov 2nd, Noon
Spirits of all the dead
The public Dia de Muertos festivities and grand finale are held the following day. In more modern times, people congregate in their cities, dressed as skeletons with their faces painted with Calaveras, and hold street parades. On the final day, relatives frequently visit cemeteries to adorn the graves with marigold flowers, presents, and sugar skulls bearing the names of the deceased. The gravestone should be cleaned and colored again as is traditional.
How people celebrate day of the dead?
The Day of the Dead is marked by an abundance of Calaveras. The skulls are frequently depicted grinning, as if to mock death itself. They come in a variety of shapes, including sugary treats, clay embellishments, and the most enduring: face painting. Sugar skulls are embellished and placed on family members’ altars. Calaveras, also known as sugar skulls, are decorative skulls created (often by hand) from clay or sugar (known as alfeiques) and are used in Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration.
Which Countries Celebrate Day of the Dead?
Not just in Mexico is the Day of the Dead observed. Other Latin American countries with distinctive traditions for welcoming back departed family members include Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela. Although it may not be as vibrant and joyful as the Mexican version, it is still a spiritual occasion for families to gather and ponder.
Each nation has its own traditions and customs, yet the fundamental beliefs are universal. The customs differ from region to region even within Mexico. In Central and Southern Mexico, Day of the Dead celebrations typically involve more intricate rituals.
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Things to know about the Day of the Dead
The holiday times back thousands of years.
The Day of the Dead was originally celebrated in the summer, but as it began to coincide with the Western Christian celebrations of All Saints’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day, it came to be connected with October 31, November 1, and November 2
It has been recognized by UNESCO
Altars are an important tradition
Ofrendas are frequently used during celebrations, whether they are displayed in the home, placed on the streets, or constructed at the graves of departed loved ones.
The altars will be embellished by participants with mementos from the spirits of the deceased, including pictures, sentimental artefacts, and fresh flowers like marigolds.
The image of the skull is celebrated, not feared.
Although the idea of a skeleton can conjure up images of death and hopelessness, this celebration honors the skull with vibrant colors and shapes in memory of loved ones who have passed away.
People of Mexican heritage all over the world celebrate.
Day of the Dead was not celebrated in northern Mexico
Due to the indigenous people’s various traditions, the Day of the Dead was not first observed in northern Mexico until the 20th century Mexico at first.
Friends and family write Calaveras to honor the dead
These poems, which typically describe fascinating behaviors and attitudes or humorous events, are typically written as satirical epitaphs for friends.
Traditions can differ for deceased children and adults.
Depending on whether the deceased was a child or an adult, celebrations may differ in some communities. For instance, in Pátzcuaro, Mexico, the grandparents will set up a table at the parents’ home with a rosary, a cross, sweets, and fruits to honor the life of a deceased child.
Tamales are given as offerings to the dead.
Tamales are one of the most popular delicacies consumed by the living as well as offered to the dead as food during Day of the Dead celebrations.
La Calaveras Catrina, a famous image for the festival, is much more symbolic.
You might not be aware that the Day of the Dead sign La Calaveras Catrina was based on a satirical portrait by Mexican printmaker, cartoonist, and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada.
In the years leading up to the Mexican Revolution, he painted this satirical portrait to represent the native Mexicans’ aspirations to emulate European aristocratic customs.
