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Día de los Muertos(Day of the Dead), or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of loved ones who have passed away. This joyful occasion is celebrated with colourful altars, food, music, and traditional paintings.
Día de los Muertos is a very ancient holiday, with roots dating back to Aztec culture. The holiday was later assimilated into Catholicism after the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
The holiday is now celebrated all over Mexico, as well as in other parts of the world with large Mexican populations. In recent years, the holiday has become more widely known and celebrated outside of Mexico.
If you are interested in learning more about this beautiful holiday, read on for 10 must-know facts about Día de los Muertos!
1. Día de los Muertos is not the same thing as Halloween—in fact, it occurs on November 2nd, which is All Souls’ Day in place like Mexico, Guatemala, and Chile. It’s also a significant holiday in Portugal and Spain.
2. Día de los Muertos is a time to remember and honour deceased loved ones. Families often set up altars (ofrendas) with photos, favourite foods, and other items that belonged to the deceased.
3. The holiday is also associated with the color white, which symbolizes purity and hope.
4. One of the most recognizable symbols of Día de los Muertos is the sugar skull (calavera), which is often decorated with bright colors and patterns. Sugar skulls are used to decorate altars and gravesites, and they’re also given as gifts.
5. Another important symbol of Día de los Muertos is la Catrina, a skeletal figure that represents death itself. La Catrina is often depicted in artwork and literature, and her image has become synonymous with the holiday itself.
6. Marigolds (cienta de muertos) are another key element of Day of the Dead celebrations—they’re thought to guide lost souls to their final resting place. Marigolds are often used to decorate altars, graves and cemeteries because they’re considered to guide the dead home.
7. According to Mexican folklore, the living can communicate with their deceased relatives until the entrance of nighttime on November 2nd; thereby they visit cemeteries during this time period to have picnics near gravesites and offer flowers called cempasúchil (marigolds), as well as personal items that may bring comfort to their dead relatives during their journey back to Mictlán (the land of the dead). Once midnight arrives however all communication ceases until the next Halloween when the cycle begins anew.
8. During Día de los Muertos, it is believed that the dead can visit the living in their dreams; therefore many people will leave a plate of food out for them as an offering.
9. Many believe that during this holiday, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is lifted, allowing those who have passed away to temporarily return to Earth.
10. In many parts of Mexico, Día de los Muertos is celebrated with colourful parades known as comparsas. The parades typically feature participants dressed as skeletons or other creatures of the underworld and often include music and dancing.
This blog post provided an overview of the history and traditions of the holiday. I hope you have learned something about this festive holiday through our blog post. If you have any thoughts or questions, please share them in the comment section. Thank you for reading!
