The Day of the Dead November 1st, Dia de los innocents, All Saintï¿½s Day November 2nd - the Day of the Dead, All Soulï¿½s Day Celebrating The Day of the Dead has a long history in Mexican Tradition. The Day of the dead is celebrated on November 2nd. Sometime one hears reference to ï¿½the days of the Deadï¿½ which refers to the Days of October 31 ï¿½ November 2. October 31 is Halloween or All Hallows eve. November 1 is ï¿½el Dia de los innnocentesï¿½ or the day of the children and All Saints Day. November second is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. Some Christianï¿½s hold to the belief structure that every day should be treated like Christmas, - as every day Christï¿½s love is born and should be celebrated. Therefore, the positive, compassionate attitude that is associated with the Christmas season would ideally be maintained throughout the year. Christmas Day is celebrated formally to remind us of this value. The day of the Dead is similar.

During the days of the Dead, some believe that the souls of the departed return to earth to visit with and to provide council or give advice to family and loved ones. There is a belief that this is true every day, but that November 2nd is the day set aside to remember and honor those who have past. In Mexico, there is a tradition of visiting gravesites. Unlike the United States where graveyards are privately owned and maintained, graveyards in Mexico are often publicly owned or managed by local churches. It is up to the families of the deceased and other community members to maintain the graves. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration and remembrance of loved ones who have passed away, much like Memorial Day in the United States. During the days of the dead, the family often takes the opportunity to visit the gravesite and pull weeds, clean any debris and decorate the graves of loved ones. Often candles, flowers and the favorite foods of the deceased are placed on the grave and the family visits, eats, sings and tells favorite stories about those who have passed. In the United States or for those for whom visiting the gravesite is not viable, (often graveyards are closed during the evening hours) the tradition has been adapted.

Many set up altars in their homes and often communities host a variety of events. In Albuquerqueï¿½s south valley the Marigold parade and celebration at the West Side Community Center is one such event. Altars are usually decorated with flowers, candles, pan de muerto, ceramic skulls, and most importantly pictures of loved ones. Food placed on the altar consists of the loved ones favorite dishes and treats. Drinks should be placed in the altar to quench the thirst of the dead after their long journey back home. In many villages it is customary to offer alcoholic beverages. Salt is considered the spice of life and is one the staples that are often left at the altar. The scents of marigolds as well as burning copal (a resin of the copal tree) are thought to be most beloved by the spirits of the dead and invite them back home. The rituals used to celebrate the day are varied and colorful. Yet, all carry the same message, celebrating the day of the dead is a true celebration of life.

For more on the Day of the Dead: History of Day of the Dead & the Mexican Sugar Skull Tradition Day of the Dead & the Sugar Skull Tradition History of Day of the Dead ~ Día de los Muertos Day of the Dead is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul's & All Saint’s Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones. They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them. In most Indian villages, beautiful altars ( ofrendas ) are made in each home. They are decorated with candles, buckets of flowers (wild marigolds called cempasuchil & bright red cock's combs) mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of turkey mole, stacks of tortillas and big Day-of-the-Dead breads called pan de muerto.

The altar needs to have lots of food, bottles of soda, hot cocoa and water for the weary spirits. Toys and candies are left for the angelitos, and on Nov. 2, cigarettes and shots of mezcal are offered to the adult spirits. Little folk art skeletons and sugar skulls, purchased at open-air markets, provide the final touches. Day of the Dead is a very expensive holiday for these self-sufficient, rural based, indigenous families. Many spend over two month's income to honor their dead relatives. They believe that happy spirits will provide protection, good luck and wisdom to their families. Ofrendabuilding keeps the family close. On the afternoon of Nov. 2, the festivities are taken to the cemetery. People clean tombs, play cards, listen to the village band and reminisce about their loved ones. Tradition keeps the village close. Day of the Dead is becoming very popular in the U.S. ~ perhaps because we don't have a way to celebrate and honor our dead, or maybe it's because of our fascination with it's mysticism. The Catholic World Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico and the Catholic world...

Italy, Spain, South America and the Philippines all celebrate All Souls and All Saints Day on November 1st and 2nd. Special Masses and perhaps cleaning of the cemetery tombs are part of the traditional activities... it's only in Central and Southern Mexico where the colorful parties take place in the cemeteries and elaborate ofrenda altars are built in the homes to honor specific family members who have passed on. This sweet angel grave marker is nestled amongst thousands of candles which illuminate the cemetery in Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca. Here, family members sit vigil in the cemetery throughout the night of October 31, so as to welcome the "angelitos" or dead children's spirits the moment they are released from heaven to come home to visit their parents. This home baker in northern Veracruz is an expert in his village for preserving the ancient culinary tradition of the zacahuíl, or gigantic banana leaf-wrapped tamal. This tamale will serve over 100 people on Day of the Dead. It's a pistol to construct and wrap so it doesn't fall apart; then baked in a homemade adobe outdoor oven. It's then sealed with mud until morning.

The sugar skull fair - Feria de Alfinique - is a child's paradise. This little one is so excited to make her sugar skull purchase. The Catholic World In Mexico, the colorful, much anticipated, Day of the Dead celebrations are generally celebrated in the states from Mexico City south. This includes Michoacan, Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Chiapas and the Yucatan. Northern Mexico, with its less indigenous and more European roots, spend the day scrubbing graves and going to Mass... not having music, drinks and parties in the cemeteries. Folks in parts of Italy, Spain, Central & South America and the Philippines all celebrate All Souls and All Saints Day on November 1st and 2nd. Special Masses and perhaps cleaning of the cemetery tombs are part of the traditional activities... These molded sugar coffins are actually toys to delight the returning spirits of children on November 1. Pull the string and a smiling calavera skeleton pops out of his coffin! Day of the Dead outdoor market in Patzcuaro, Michoacan where locals buy their sugar skulls, special foods, copal and altar decorations.

This is the only market where I've found sugar cats and sugar Guadalupes. This woman artisan was busy decorating her home ofrenda with candles, copal, fruits, cempasuchil (wild marigolds), cock's comb and saint's images. Later, when the home cooking is done, she'll bring big plates of food to offer to the spirits of her returning loved ones! Note the beautiful cross-point cloths she made. Here's an old photo of me in the Talcolula, Oaxaca outdoor market buying sugar cane from one of the many "out of town vendors" who come in with all the special items we need to celebrate the holiday. I got four 8 ft tall stalks of sugar cane for about $4. These are used to make the arch over the ofrenda which represents the archway to heaven. Gigantic sugar skulls are made from 50 year old molds for the competition at the Feria de Alfinique in Metepec, Mexico. These sugar skull makers have been making artisanal sugar for generations. Chocolate sugar skulls are hand molded & decorated and sold by the thousands at the Sugar Skull Fair.

Candy makers work for 4-6 months to have enough merchandise for the sale. Sugar skulls are sometimes eaten, but their main function is to adorn the altars and tombs with a sugary delight for the visiting spirits! Miniature candy skulls are made for the baby angelitos and are displayed on the home ofrendas on November 1... then replaced with full size skulls on November 2 for the returning adult spirits! The Sugar Skull Tradition Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church. Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit.

Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place. There is nothing as beautiful as a big, fancy, unusual sugar skull! Although it is a holiday from far away in southern Mexico, it's a holiday one can personalize and integrate into their own religious and cultural beliefs. It is more of a cultural holiday than a religious one. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the memories of our loved ones who are now gone... through art , cooking, music, building ofrendas , doing activities with our children , we can recount family stories, fun times and lessons learned... not how the person died, but how they lived. I hope you come to enjoy Day of the Dead as much as I do! ~Angela Villalba Fair Use This history is © Reign Trading Co. All rights reserved. If you use it (or parts of it), please give credit with a link to MexicanSugarSkull.com . Thank you!

Ofrenda Checklist & Day of the Dead Information Sheet We offer free, down-loadable information sheets on Day of the Dead and how to make a home altar (ofrenda). Feel free to print them and distribute them to your school, restaurant, class, museum event, party or church. Day of the Dead is frequently misunderstood and we'd like to educate anyone about what a meaningful and beautiful holiday this is. Day of the Dead information sheet PDF How to Make an Ofrenda information sheet PDF Day of the Dead scrapbook Please enjoy the photos we've taken in Mexico on Day of the Dead in our Online Scrapbook Mexico City Day of the Dead celebration - Videos - CBS News Mexico City Day of the Dead celebration Mexico City Day of the Dead celebration November 2, 2014, 7:22 AM | Hundreds of men and women gathered in Mexico City dressed as Catrina, known as the "Skeleton Lady", where they managed to set the Guinness World Record for the most Catrinas in one place at one time. Come Celebrate The Day Of The Dead November 1-3 Come Celebrate The Day Of The Dead November 1-3 Tammy Rose The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday.

The holiday has gained worldwide popularity. The celebration has spread from Mexico to America and other areas across the globe. The holiday is held to honor the dead. The Day of the Dead is a time of great celebration. Losing a loved one is a sad and difficult time, and Día de los Muertos, as it is known in Mexico, provides people the chance to rejoice in the living memories of the ones they have lost. The Day of the Dead is a positive affirmation of the cycle of life and death. It gives people the opportunity to reconnect with the spirits of their loved ones who have moved on to the other side. During the Day of the Dead celebrations graves are decorated in Mexican cemeteries reports celebratethedayofthedead.com . The celebration is many different things to different people. For some, it is a personal experience for others it is a family event. For those who have not lost a loved one, the Day of the Dead is a social gathering. Mexican tradition explains that Day of the Dead helps those celebrating become more aware of the meaning of life. The holiday expresses the mystery of life and death while concentrating on life’s beauty.

Some see the Day of the Dead as a time of celebration, while others it is a time of introspection. The Day of the Dead is celebrated differently across the globe. The holiday and its traditions are altered by the different places that it is celebrated. It mixes other cultures, while adapting local traditions to the holidays original ones. The celebration is associated with observers’ faces painted like skulls. Many of the designs are intricate works of art. The holiday is also marked with offerings of food to those who have passed on. The holiday has rich historical and spiritual meaning, reports Desert News . The holidays roots run deep with traditions of Aztecs, Toltecs, Olmecs, and Mayans, all of which dedicate months to celebrating and honoring the dead. According to the Smithsonian Latino Center, those who originally celebrated the Day of the Dead believed that the dead would come back to Earth, so they would play music, dance, and leave flowers and food to welcome them. During the holiday, families will spend all day and night at the grave of their loved one. They will dance, eat, and celebrate their loved one’s life. The Day of the Dead is rich with symbolism. It is in essence a true celebration of life!

Why the Day of the Dead is not Halloween (PHOTOS) — RT News Why the Day of the Dead is not Halloween (PHOTOS) Published time: 1 Nov, 2014 21:30 Get short URL Women with faces painted to look like the popular Mexican figure called "Catrina" are seen in Zapopan October 30, 2014. (Reuters / Alejandro Acosta) / Reuters Skulls set on shrines, candles flickering in the dark while skeletons converge on the streets...Halloween? No. The biggest fright night of the year gives way to the Mexican tradition of celebrating the dead. 5 Dia De Los Muertos Questions You Were Too Afraid To Ask | The Huffington Post 5 Dia De Los Muertos Questions You Were Too Afraid To Ask 11/01/2013 08:20 am ET | Updated Oct 30, 2015 5.2k Ana Maria Benedetti Editor, Latino Voices Getty What’s the difference between Día de los Muertos and Halloween?

Día de los Muertos -- also known as "Día de Muertos," or "Day of the Dead" in English -- is a holiday with Mexican origins that is celebrated on November 1 - 2. While some imagery might be close to that of Halloween, there are significant differences between the two. Día de los Muertos is a day to celebrate death -- or, more specifically, the deceased -- while on Halloween, death is seen as something to be feared. Día de los Muertos has both indigenous origins from the Aztec festival for Mictecacihuatl, The Lady of The Dead, and Catholic origins from the Spanish conquistadors’ All Saints and All Souls Day. Wait, it’s a two-day Holiday? Yes, the original Aztec holiday was actually a month long event, but when the Spanish conquistadores arrived and turned Mexico Catholic, the celebration became intertwined with All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2) . Traditionally, Nov. 1 is when you welcome the souls of children that have passed away, known as Día de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents) or Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels). Nov.

2 is when the adult souls arrive. How do you celebrate the dead? Those who celebrate Día de los Muertos will usually put up altars honoring those members of the family who have passed away . They decorate the altars with candles, sugar skulls, marigolds, food, beverages and clothes. These offerings, or "ofrendas," are gifts for the dead and are usually a combination of his or her favorite things. Like the holiday itself, the altar also has mixed imagery of both indigenous and Catholic background. The graves of the deceased are also visited and honored with offerings as well as vigils. Would you have to go to Mexico to see these celebrations? No, although Día de los Muertos is a Mexican National Holiday it is actually celebrated in other countries as well such as Guatemala, Brazil and Spain. It is also becoming more and more popular in the U.S. due to the large number of Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans. What’s up with all the skulls? Skulls are everywhere during Día de los Muertos. The origins trace back to the pre-Hispanic era, when they were kept as trophies and used during rituals. The most recognized skull on Dia de los Muertos is the Calavera Catrina .

The image as we know it today originated with José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican Artist who depicted a fancy female skeleton as a dig against the Europhile Mexican elite during the Porfirio Díaz dictatorship. It became an iconic image of the Mexican Revolution at the beginning of the twentieth century. But the actual Catrina is said to have originated thanks to the Aztec tale of Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. Day of the Dead - Day Of The Dead - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Day Of The Dead Day of the Dead Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos is a series of commemorative days dedicated to those who have died. It is celebrated generally between Halloween, Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, and coincides with the Catholic holy days of All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov. 2). Day of the Dead is actually divided into two distinct holidays, the first being Dide los Inocentes, which is dedicated to children on Nov. 1, and Dide los Muertos on Nov. 2, which is the actual Day of the Dead.

Both days taken together are collectively referred to as the Day of the Dead, and celebrations can begin as early as Halloween (Oct. 31). In recent years, the tradition has spread into North America, particularly into communities with large Mexican and Latin American populations. The holiday blends with celebrations across several nations and cultures and draws upon traditions found in other cultures, however the holiday is largely a Mexican development. Families often come together over this period and preparations can be made during the entire year leading up to the Day of the Dead. This is a solemn occasion, with few actual festivities. Instead, people visit and repair graves of their dearly departed. It is common to light candles, leave offerings of prepared foods, often a favorite meal, and to pray and play music. Private altars are built as focal points for small, private religious observances. Small parties, or wakes, can be held in conjunction with the holidays. Celebrations can sometimes take a humorous tone, particularly if the deceased relative was known to enjoy humor. Poems can be read and public morality plays are sometimes performed. Parents of deceased children commonly leave offerings of toys on the Day of the Innocents. Small offerings of alcohol are sometimes left for adults.

It is easy to see why these celebrations can be heartbreaking, even to outsiders. The skull is a common symbol of the holiday and it is common for women to paint all or one-half of their face with a skull. The half-skull painted on the face, particularly of a youthful woman, represents the brief transition between life and death. The holiday itself has multiple traditional origins, chiefly Catholic. Catholics believe that the deceased do not always enter directly into heaven or hell upon their death, but instead may enter into purgatory, a sort of holding space, where they are cleansed of their sins before they can enter heaven. People who die in a state of mortal sin go directly to hell, by virtue of their choice, while those who die without sin may go directly to heaven. Purgatory is for those who have died in a state of sin, but not mortal sin. These people must wait in purgatory until they are cleansed of their sins by the prayers of the faithful on Earth. Day of the Dead is an occasion to offer those prayers. This is largely redundant with the Catholic holy day of All Souls. Day of the Dead is an occasion to pray for these departed people in purgatory.

Many Mexicans also trace their celebrations back to ancient Mesoamerican cultures. The Aztec, in particular, would celebrate their dead for the entire month of August. Families may carry on celebrations throughout the year, long after Day of the Dead has ended. It is common for families to maintain small, private altars at home and they may create makeshift shrines dedicated to their dearly departed. Pictures, candles and flowers commonly adorn these shrines. Even public schools participate with altars being prepared at schools and the children decorating them with mementoes of the dearly departed and decorations. Small alters can even be found in government offices across Mexico. The holiday is seen both as a religious devotion and a source of national pride. It has spread into other countries, like the United States, partly as an expression of Mexican heritage. In the United States, schools and colleges will often have small festivals, centered on Mexican culture and arts. More about Day of the Dead from Wikipedia Day of the Dead (Spanish: Dí de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality of a National Holiday.

The celebration takes place on November 1st and 2nd, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. In Brazil, Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures. Observance in Mexico Origins The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to the indigenous cultures.

Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors have been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500.3,000 years.[1] In the pre-Hispanic era, it was common to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month. The festivities were dedicated to the god[2] known as the "Lady of the Dead", corresponding to the modern Catrina. In most regions of Mexico, November 1 honors children and infants, whereas deceased adults are honored on November 2. This is indicated by generally referring to November 1 mainly as DĂ­de los Inocentes ("Day of the Innocents") but also as DĂ­de los Angelitos ("Day of the Little Angels") and November 2 as DĂ­de los Muertos or DĂ­de los Difuntos ("Day of the Dead").[3] Beliefs Sculpture with skeletons made for Day of the Dead at the Museo de Arte Popular, Mexico City.

People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so that the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.[3] Plans for the day are made throughout the year, including gathering the goods to be offered to the dead. During the three-day period, families usually clean and decorate graves;[2] most visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and decorate their graves with ofrendas ("offerings"), which often include orange mexican marigolds (Tagetes erecta) called cempasĂşl (originally named cempoalxochitl, Nahuatl for "twenty flowers"). In modern Mexico, this name is sometimes replaced with the term Flor de Muerto ("Flower of the Dead"). These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings. Catrinas, one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.

Toys are brought for dead children (los angelitos, or "the little angels"), and bottles of tequila, mezcal or pulque or jars of atole for adults. Families will also offer trinkets or the deceased's favorite candies on the grave. Ofrendas are also put in homes, usually with foods such as candied pumpkin, pan de muerto ("bread of the dead"), and sugar skulls and beverages such as atole. The ofrendas are left out in the homes as a welcoming gesture for the deceased.[2] Some people believe the spirits of the dead eat the "spiritual essence" of the ofrendas food, so even though the celebrators eat the food after the festivities, they believe it lacks nutritional value. Pillows and blankets are left out so that the deceased can rest after their long journey. In some parts of Mexico, such as the towns of Mixquic, PĂˇcuaro and Janitzio, people spend all night beside the graves of their relatives. In many places, people have picnics at the grave site as well.

Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes;[2] these usually have the Christian cross, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of deceased relatives and other persons, scores of candles and an ofrenda. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations, celebrants wear shells on their clothing, so that when they dance, the noise will wake up the dead; some will also dress up as the deceased. Public schools at all levels build altars with ofrendas, usually omitting the religious symbols. Government offices usually have at least a small altar, as this holiday is seen as important to the Mexican heritage. Those with a distinctive talent for writing sometimes create short poems, called calaveras ("skulls"), mocking epitaphs of friends, describing interesting habits and attitudes or funny anecdotes. This custom originated in the 18th or 19th century, after a newspaper published a poem narrating a dream of a cemetery in the future, "and all of us were dead", proceeding to "read" the tombstones.

Newspapers dedicate calaveras to public figures, with cartoons of skeletons in the style of the famous calaveras of JosĂ©uadalupe Posada, a Mexican illustrator. Theatrical presentations of Don Juan Tenorio by JosĂ©orrilla (1817.1893) are also traditional on this day. A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (colloquially called calavera), which celebrants represent in masks, called calacas (colloquial term for "skeleton"), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include pan de muerto, a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls and rabbits, often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones. JosĂ©uadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure that he called La Calavera de la Catrina ("calavera of the female dandy") as a parody of a Mexican upper-class female.

Posada's striking image of a costumed female with a skeleton face has become associated with the Day of the Dead, and Catrina figures often are a prominent part of modern Day of the Dead observances. Gran calavera elĂ©rica ("Grand electric skull") by JosĂ©uadalupe Posada, 1900.1913. The traditions and activities that take place in celebration of the Day of the Dead are not universal and often vary from town to town. For example, in the town of PĂˇcuaro on the Lago de PĂˇcuaro in MichoacĂˇ the tradition is very different if the deceased is a child rather than an adult. On November 1 of the year after a child's death, the godparents set a table in the parents' home with sweets, fruits, pan de muerto, a cross, a rosary (used to ask the Virgin Mary to pray for them) and candles. This is meant to celebrate the child's life, in respect and appreciation for the parents. There is also dancing with colorful costumes, often with skull-shaped masks and devil masks in the plaza or garden of the town.

At midnight on November 2, the people light candles and ride winged boats called mariposas (Spanish for "butterflies") to Janitzio, an island in the middle of the lake where there is a cemetery, to honor and celebrate the lives of the dead there. Families tidying and decorating graves at a cemetery in Almoloya del RĂ­in the State of Mexico. In contrast, the town of Ocotepec, north of Cuernavaca in the State of Morelos, opens its doors to visitors in exchange for veladoras (small wax candles) to show respect for the recently deceased. In return, the visitors receive tamales and atole. This is only done by the owners of the house where somebody in the household has died in the previous year. Many people of the surrounding areas arrive early to eat for free and enjoy the elaborate altars set up to receive the visitors from MictlĂˇ In some parts of the country (especially the cities, where in recent years there are displaced other customs), children in costumes roam the streets, knocking on people's doors for a calaverita, a small gift of candies or money; they also ask passersby for it.

This custom is similar to that of Halloween's trick-or-treating and is relatively recent. Some people believe that possessing Day of the Dead items can bring good luck. Many people get tattoos or have dolls of the dead to carry with them. They also clean their houses and prepare the favorite dishes of their deceased loved ones to place upon their altar or ofrenda. Observances outside Mexico Day of the Dead altar in Atlanta in memory of Jennifer Ann Crecente, murdered at the age of 18 by her ex-boyfriend. San Francisco's annual Day of the Dead celebration in Garfield Square An altar in Los Angeles pays homage to "dead" TV shows, with traditional marigolds, sugar skulls and candles United States In many American communities with Mexican residents, Day of the Dead celebrations are held that are very similar to those held in Mexico. In some of these communities, such as in Texas[4] and Arizona,[5] the celebrations tend to be mostly traditional. For example, the All Souls Procession has been an annual Tucson event since 1990. The event combines elements of traditional Day of the Dead celebrations with those of pagan harvest festivals.

People wearing masks carry signs honoring the dead and an urn in which people can place slips of paper with prayers on them to be burned.[6] In other communities, interactions between Mexican traditions and American culture are resulting in celebrations in which Mexican traditions are being extended to make artistic or sometimes political statements. For example, in Los Angeles, California, the Self Help Graphics & Art Mexican-American cultural center presents an annual Day of the Dead celebration that includes both traditional and political elements, such as altars to honor the victims of the Iraq War highlighting the high casualty rate among Latino soldiers. An updated, inter-cultural version of the Day of the Dead is also evolving at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.[7] There, in a mixture of Mexican traditions and Hollywood hip, conventional altars are set up side-by-side with altars to Jayne Mansfield and Johnny Ramone. Colorful native dancers and music intermix with performance artists, while sly pranksters play on traditional themes.

Similar traditional and inter-cultural updating of Mexican celebrations is occurring in San Francisco, for example, through the GalerĂ­de la Raza, SomArts Cultural Center, Mission Cultural Center, de Young Museum and altars at Garfield Square by the Marigold Project.[8] Oakland is home to Corazon Del Pueblo in the Fruitvale district. Corazon Del Pueblo has a shop offering handcrafted Mexican gifts and a museum devoted to Day of the Dead artifacts.[9] In Missoula, Montana, skeletal celebrants on stilts, novelty bicycles, and skis parade through town.[10] It also occurs annually at historic Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Sponsored by Forest Hills Educational Trust and the folkloric performance group La PiĂ±, the Day of the Dead celebration celebrates the cycle of life and death. People bring offerings of flowers, photos, mementos, and food for their departed loved ones, which they place at an elaborately and colorfully decorated altar. A program of traditional music and dance also accompanies the community event.

Latin America Guatemalan celebrations of the Day of the Dead are highlighted by the construction and flying of giant kites[11] in addition to the traditional visits to grave sites of ancestors. A big event also is the consumption of fiambre, which is made only for this day during the year. In Ecuador, the Day of the Dead is observed to some extent by all parts of society, though it is especially important to the indigenous Kichwa peoples who make up an estimated quarter of the population. Indigena families gather together in the community cemetery with offerings of food for a day-long remembrance of their ancestors and lost loved ones. Ceremonial foods include colada morada, a spiced fruit porridge that derives its deep purple color from the Andean blackberry and purple maize. This is typically consumed with guagua de pan, a bread shaped like a swaddled infant, though variations include many pigs.the latter being traditional to the city of Loja. The bread, which is wheat flour-based today but was made with cornmeal in the pre-Columbian era, can be made savory with cheese inside or sweet with a filling of guava paste.

These traditions have permeated into mainstream society as well, where food establishments add both colada morada and gaugua de pan to their menus for the season. Many non-indigenous Ecuadorians partake in visiting the graves of the deceased and preparing the traditional foods as well.[12] The Brazilian public holiday of Finados (Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 2. Similar to other Day of the Dead celebrations, people go to cemeteries and churches with flowers, candles, and prayer. The celebration is intended to be positive to celebrate those who are deceased. In Haiti, voodoo traditions mix with Roman Catholic observances as, for example, loud drums and music are played at all-night celebrations at cemeteries to waken Baron Samedi, the Loa of the dead, and his mischievous family of offspring, the Gede. Dia de los Ă±tas ("Day of the Skulls") is a festival celebrated in La Paz, Bolivia, on November 9. In pre-Columbian times, indigenous Andeans had a tradition of sharing a day with the bones of their ancestors on the third year after burial; however, only the skulls are used today.

Traditionally, the skull of one or more family members are kept at home to watch over the family and protect them during the year. On November 9, the family crowns the skull with fresh flowers, sometimes also dressing it up in various garments, and makes offerings of cigarettes, coca leaves, alcohol, and various other items in thanks for the year's protection. The skulls are also sometimes taken to the central cemetery in La Paz for a special Mass and blessing.[13][14][15] Europe In many countries with a Roman Catholic heritage, All Saints Day and All Souls Day have long been holidays in which people take the day off work, go to cemeteries with candles and flowers, and give presents to children, usually sweets and toys.[16] In Portugal and Spain, ofrendas ("offerings") are made on this day. In Spain, the play Don Juan Tenorio is traditionally performed. In Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Ireland, people bring flowers to the graves of dead relatives and say prayers over the dead.

In Poland,[17] Slovakia,[18] Hungary,[19] Lithuania,[20] Croatia,[21] Slovenia,[22] Romania,[23] Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Finland, the tradition is to light candles and visit the graves of deceased relatives. In Tyrol, cakes are left for them on the table, and the room kept warm for their comfort. In Brittany, people flock to the cemeteries at nightfall to kneel, bareheaded, at the graves of their loved ones and to anoint the hollow of the tombstone with holy water or to pour libations of milk on it. At bedtime, the supper is left on the table for the souls.[24] A Mexican-style Day of the Dead has been celebrated in Prague, Czech Republic, as part of a promotion by the Mexican embassy. Local citizens join in a celebration of the Day of the Dead put on by a theatre group with masks, candles, and sugar skulls.[25] The Philippines and Oceania Flowers, including Mexican marigolds, used in the celebration of the Day of the Dead.

In the Philippines, the holiday is called Todos Los Santos (All Saints Day), Undas (from Spanish andas, or possibly honra), or Araw ng mga Patay ("Day of the Dead"), and has more of a family reunion atmosphere.[26] The traditions were imported during the Philippines' Spanish colonial era. Tombs are cleaned or repainted, candles are lit, and flowers are offered. Entire families camp in cemeteries and sometimes spend a night or two near their relatives' tombs. Card games, eating, drinking, singing and dancing are common activities in the cemetery. It is considered a very important holiday by many Filipinos (after Christmas and Holy Week), and additional days are normally given as special non-working holidays (but only November 1 is a regular holiday). Mexican-style Day of the Dead celebrations can also be found in Wellington, New Zealand, complete with altars celebrating the deceased with flowers and gifts.[27] Asia: Other similar traditions Many other cultures around the world have similar traditions of a day set aside to visit the graves of deceased family members. Often included in these traditions are celebrations, food and beverages, in addition to prayers and remembrances of the departed.

The Bon Festival (O-bon (..?) or only Bon (.?) is a Japanese Buddhist holiday to honor the departed spirits of one's ancestors. (August) In Korea, Chuseok (.., ..) is a major traditional holiday, also called Hangawi. People go where the spirits of one's ancestors are enshrined and perform ancestral worship rituals early in the morning; they visit the tombs of immediate ancestors to trim plants, clean the area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors. The Ching Ming Festival (simplified Chinese: ...; traditional Chinese: ...; pinyin: q.ng mĂ­ jiĂ©em>) is a traditional Chinese festival usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar. Along with Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar, it is a time to tend to the graves of departed ones. In addition, in the Chinese tradition, the seventh month in the Chinese calendar is called the Ghost Month (..), in which ghosts and spirits come out from the underworld to visit earth.

During the Nepali holiday of Gai Jatra ("Cow Pilgrimage"), every family who has lost a family member during the previous year makes a construction of bamboo branches, cloth, paper decorations and portraits of the deceased, called a gai. Traditionally, a cow leads the spirits of the dead into the next land. Depending on local custom, either an actual live cow or a construct representing a cow may be used. The festival is also a time to dress up in costume, including costumes involving political comments and satire.[28] In some cultures in Africa, visits to the graves of ancestors, the leaving of food and gifts, and the asking of protection serve as important parts of traditional rituals. One example of this is the ritual that occurs just before the beginning of hunting season.[29] In some tribes of the Amazon, they believe that the dead return as flowers rather than butterflies. In popular culture Literature The novel Under the Volcano (1947) by Malcolm Lowry takes place on this day in a fictionalized Cuernavaca, Morelos. Ray Bradbury's novel The Halloween Tree (1972) includes an explanation of the holiday as part of a greater worldwide tradition and features a Mexican sugar skull as a plot device.

Barbara Hambly's novel Days Of The Dead (2003) climaxes on this day in 1835. Film The film The Crow: City of Angels takes place in a fictionalized version of Los Angeles during the Day of the Dead celebration. Sugar skulls and tribute altars are referenced, and the film's climax takes place during a large Day of the Dead street party. Television The first episode of the Adult Swim series The Venture Bros., "Dia de Los Dangerous!", takes place on this day. Hank and Dean Venture purchase sombreros and sugar skulls, and then Hank describes the events to their father, who has just given a lecture to a very small audience, due in part to the holiday. Computer Games The 1998 computer game Grim Fandango was set in 4 different Days of the Dead over 4 years, and makes extensive use of iconography from the festival, with most characters being represented as skeletal figures in the manner similar to the skeletons of the Day of the Dead.

See also Día de los Muertos de Oaxaca 2017 in Oaxaca, Mexico | Everfest Throughout Oaxaca de Juárez| Oaxaca, Mexico It’s a Dead Man’s Party Come the beginning of November, Mexican families throw a feast and invite the dead over for dinner. Though Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is often confused with Halloween due to the proximity in time, this holiday is not about ghouls and goblins, but instead honors the dead and welcomes their souls home as a blessing. Altars and offerings are a way to remember family members who have passed into the afterlife. In this culture, the lines between life and death are blurred and the acceptance of mortality becomes a liberation from fear. Indeed, life and death live on parallel planes in Mexico. This beautiful festival has a profound life lesson that transcends life itself. All Saints, Souls & Skulls This celebration dates back 3000 years, long before Spanish influence in the region. Today’s festival is a mix of pre-Columbian customs and Christian teachings. Aztecs believed that life and death coexist, and during the fall the dead can visit the living.

Death is merely a gateway to the underworld, an accession of consciousness and a rebirth into a higher state. Christianity fused this native ritual with All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd) to put its own religious spin on it. In the predominantly Catholic Mexico, graveyards and crosses are intertwined with powerful Aztec symbols such as skulls. Similar celebrations occur throughout the world, including Todos Los Santos in the Philippines and Día de Finados in Brazil. Celebration in Place of Mourning While death can often be a somber affair, the Day of the Dead is a joyous celebration of life. For some, it can be perceived as morbid with dark undertones. However, the underlying themes are love, remembrance and honor. Día de los Muertos is an acceptance of death in place of mourning life lost, a celebration of life lived. It helps families and children come to terms with death, perhaps life’s greatest unknown and fear. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico, the United States and other countries with large Mexican populations. Its artistic and cultural influence is also spreading worldwide. The festival takes place over three days. October 31 is a day of preparation.

Gender roles are more traditionally defined in rural Mexico and women perform the housecleaning and food preparation, while men build clay altars in the home. November 1 is dedicated to children and infants, Día de los Angelitios (Day of the Little Angels). Offerings of candies and favorite toys are placed at the altars in the hope that the spirits will absorb the essence and be nourished for their journey back to the underworld. November 2, Día de los Muertos, is for the adults. Calaveras (decorated skulls) are bigger and more elaborate, rituals are more complex and food is spicier and served with shots of tequila. Festivities occur nationwide, but Oaxaca is Mexico’s capital of departed souls and the best place to dance with the dead. Lost souls often need a little help finding their way home. Arcs of brightly colored marigolds provide a spiritual welcome mat and represent a gateway to the underworld. The altars are central to the festival and families make them to remember loved ones lost. In Oaxaca, altar and cemetery tours are always popular.

Offerings of water and traditional food like Pan de Muertos (bread of the dead) often take the form of calaveras to feed the hungry spirits after their long journey home. Daytime is a time for resting and reflection, while the night is for remembrance and celebration. In a festival this dark, nighttime is when the dead really come alive. Candlelight processions and vigils occur around the altars, while roving Mariachi bands provide a lively soundtrack. Festive Food & Face Painting Food for the soul at this time of year is taken literally. In addition to the bread of the dead, tortillas, Mexican chocolate caliente (hot chocolate) and other traditional treats are on hand. They’re made for the dead, but the living get to enjoy them as the leftovers (sans essence) make a feast for both worlds. Sugar skulls are the most iconic image of the festival. To make them, granulated white sugar is pressed into skull-shaped molds, then colorfully decorated, each containing the name of a departed one. These are placed on graves and altars in remembrance. Some sugar skulls have inspired a whole range of cultural art based upon this tradition. Another tradition that has spread beyond Mexico is elaborate face painting.

In the tradition of the sugar skulls, people paint their faces like the calaveras and processions become a dance of the living dead. The Aztecs believed that death was an awakening or rebirth. The symbolism of skulls is a powerful one and signifies the power of death as a vehicle for transformation to a higher level of consciousness.

Question: Where is the "Day of the Dead" celebrated on 2 November?
Answer: Mexico