Día de los Muertos

Day of the Dead 

Skeletons: photo by Cliff Hutson

Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration that is said to go back to the times of the Aztecs and their belief that death is the beginning of a different journey. These, the multi-day holiday is observed by having family and friends gather to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. But, it is a time of festivities, not mourning. 

When Is Day of the Dead

It is said that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

October 31: eve of Día de los Muertos and is also known as "noche de brujas" (night of the witches).

November 1: Day of the Innocents, commemorating deceased children.

November 2: the actual Day of the Dead.

Pan de muerto

Olvera Street Bakery: photo by Cliff Huston 

Pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, is a typical sweet bread (pan dulce), often featuring anise seeds and decorated with bones and skulls made from dough. The bones might be arranged in a circle, as in the circle of life. Tiny dough teardrops symbolize sorrow.

Skulls and Flowers

Skull and Vines: photo by Cliff Hutson

Decorated sugar skulls, called calaveras de azúcar in Spanish, are among the holiday's most iconic symbols, and are sold everywhere on the days and weeks leading up to Day of the Dead.

Flowers: photo by Cliff Hutson

Flowers are also an integral part of the holiday. The most popular Day of the Dead flowers used for celebrations are cempazuchitl flowers, also known as marigolds. 

Tradition

"Though the particular customs and scale of Day of the Dead celebrations continue to evolve, the heart of the holiday has remained the same over thousands of years. It’s an occasion for remembering and celebrating those who have passed on from this world, while at the same time portraying death in a more positive light, as a natural part of the human experience."  -  History