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What is the Day of the Dead? What you should know about Mexican tradition

Colorful altars, clothing in traditional Mexican evening wear, sugar skull face paint, and masks are some of the most prominent signs of reverence for Día de los Muertos traditions.

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Deceased loved ones will continue to live in the hearts of those who remember them, but a very special holiday honors the life they lived on earth.

At the end of October, tradition says, the souls of loved ones return from the afterlife to celebrate and spend time with living relatives on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, usually observed on November 1st and 2nd to spend.

Families, friends and admirers of the deceased prepare ofrendas, or altars, to welcome their loved ones, including pets, home. The holiday also coincides directly with the Catholic holidays of All Saints and All Souls.

“I feel like this Mexican tradition gives people the opportunity to look at death in a different way,” Angie Jimenez, director of the altar program at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, previously told USA TODAY.

The annual tradition has been recognized by indigenous civilizations in Mexico for over 3,000 years. Elements of Catholicism and Christianity were later incorporated into the indigenous death ritual following the colonization of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish in the 16th century, for a holiday shaped by the ideas, beliefs and motifs of the Spanish, Christian and indigenous civilizations.

Although the holiday's origins lie in Mexico, the tradition of honoring a loved one who has passed away is adopted by many around the world, with many large celebrations taking place in the United States

Who does the Day of the Dead celebrate?

Anyone you want to remember including family members, friends, pets or even celebrities.

When is the Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, celebrated?

Day of the Dead celebrations typically take place on November 1st and 2nd, depending on the age of the deceased person you are honoring. But sometimes the festivities can begin as early as Halloween night.

November 1st is commonly referred to as Día de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents) or Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels). Typically, this honors the lives of small children or young people. November 2nd is known as Día de los Muertos and Día de los Difuntos, when loved ones remember the lives of adults who have passed away.

According to The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, the individual memoirs not only celebrate the different stages of life, but also provide a specific focus for each day and reflect a mix of indigenous Aztec beliefs and Catholic traditions.

The construction of an altar or a grave decoration session can also take place earlier, depending on the region.

“I would say that most people, you could really say, celebrate it for a week or several weeks. Because a lot of people don't make the ofrenda on November 1st, they don't make it on October 31st, they don't do it.” “I can't make it on November 2nd. They make it weeks before the actual holiday,” Mathew Sandoval, a professor at Arizona State University who studies Día de los Muertos, told Republic.

Mexico City, for example, celebrates Day of the Dead throughout the month of October, so people can add or swap out their altars throughout the month.

Although the holiday is largely celebrated by people in Mexico and Mexican-American or Latino communities in the United States, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala and even Haiti celebrate the Day of the Dead in their own ways, according to the Mexican Museum in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution.

Where is the Day of the Dead celebrated?

Day of the Dead can really be celebrated anywhere an altar has been built, Jimenez shared. Ofrendas were built in homes, parks, grocery stores, and graves.

Families or friends use the days to build an altar together, visit the graves of loved ones, paint a skull-like figure on their face with paint, dress up, make sugar skulls, exchange stories, share food, enjoy music or Dance, buy marigolds and attend a parade or festival.

What is a Day of the Dead ofrenda?

An ofrenda, or altar, is created with the intention of providing a physical space for the spirit of the family member, friend, or pet with whom you wish to be reunited.

According to the Mexican Museum in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, most altars feature yellow marigolds, candles, photos of the deceased, papel picado or cut-out tissue paper motifs, and offerings of food and drink to the deceased.

Skulls or calaveras are commonly used decorations. They are made of papier-mâché, clay, wood, metal, cut-out tissue paper and often sugar, decorated with colored icing, flowers or metal-colored foil.

The components integrated into the altar vary depending on culture, region and preference.

Since the altar is the “heart and soul” of Día de los Muertos, it is important to include traditional elements such as candles, papel picado, a drink or food, Jimenez shared. All of these items represent the four elements of nature.

“As long as you have the traditional components, the location of the altar and its size don’t matter,” Jimenez said.

The altar should also be unique to the person whose soul you want to reconnect with, so adding a few personal touches like favorite snacks, toys, or belongings won't hurt.

Here are a few things you might want to include in yours:

  • Candles
  • Photos/personal items
  • Cempasúchil (marigolds)
  • Papule picado
  • Salt
  • Food/drinks
  • incense
  • Religious symbols such as crosses
  • Music

How has Day of the Dead changed over the years?

Traditions, like anything else, are subject to change or modification over time.

The Day of the Dead has gone through changes in the way it is celebrated and honored since Aztec times, but one key element has remained the same. The living have the opportunity to visit the deceased on two days a year and celebrate life in a cheerful and colorful way.

One of the most unique aspects of Dia de los Muertos is the ambiguity about how it evolved into what it is today, Ramona Pérez, anthropology professor and director of the Center for Latin American Studies at San Diego State University, previously told USA TODAY.

Colorful altars, clothing in traditional Mexican evening wear, sugar skull face paint, and masks are some of the most prominent signs of reverence for Día de los Muertos traditions.

Participating in these optional practices is a way to honor the cultural significance of the holiday. One of the most iconic symbols of the Day of the Dead, La Calavera Catrina, an elegant skull, was created in 1910 by satirical cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada. The illustration featured a skeleton in fashionable clothing to mock the upper class of the time.

Over the last century, La Catrina has been considered a symbol of Mexican culture, embodying the idea that death is an integral part of life and should be celebrated, according to reports from The Republic.

It is now common to see people wearing La Catrina-inspired costumes or painting their faces to resemble La Catrina's skeletal features, and rocking elaborate dresses, suits, floral crowns, scarves, or hats to create a complete look .

“They are just a reminder of our own mortality. “We all go into the same room,” Jimenez said. “Although it may sound very dark or morbid, it is a statement that death is as beautiful as life.”

An earlier version of this story was published in 2023.

Contributor Jordan Mendoza

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