How to Celebrate Dia de los Muertos

Called Day of the Dead in English, Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday with a complex history and it'soften celebrated differently in various regions. However, there are some standard traditions and practices associated with Dia de los Muertos across the globe.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Flowers
• Food
• Streamers
• Items that belonged to departed kin
• La Muerte figures depicting the skeleton of death
• Candy
• Pan de Muerto

In the Cemetery

1. Gather with family in a cemetery to visit the graves of deceased loved ones. During this time of celebration, families tidy up and decorate the graves of departed kin. This gathering together for the celebration of Dia de los Muertos fosters a sense of community and appreciation for the dead.
2. Tell stories about the departed. Because spirits are believed to gather around the living on Dia de los Muertos, storytelling about the deceased is observed as an act of celebration, respect and remembrance.
3. Have a picnic in the cemetery among the graves of family members and the larger community who gather to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Meals are often rich and robust and consist of spicy meats, sweets and chocolate drinks.

In the Home

4. Invite the dead into the family home. A number of decorations and practices are meant not only to celebrate the dead's presence on Dia de los Muertos, but also to remind families of their loved ones and prompt positive memories.
5. Build an altar. Dia de los Muertos altars should exhibit items that would be attractive to the dead such as flowers, food, and personal items. Items that were precious to the departed like trophies, diplomas or photographs are believed to entice the spirits into taking part in the celebration. Families often add clothing and other belongings to personalize the altar and remind them of their deceased loved ones.
6. Observe a feast in honor of the dead. Traditionally, infants were celebrated on the first day of November, and this day is called Día de los Angelitos. Adults were celebrated on the second day of November. However, most families now celebrate all of their deceased kin at one large meal on the second of November. A traditional food at this celebration is Pan de Muerto or Bread of the Dead.
7. Feature "la calavera" or the skeleton of death in the home or on the table. The skeleton of death is the most recognizable symbol of the Dia de los Muertos celebration. Because the holiday is a joyful time for families, decorations often feature skeletons, skulls and devils dancing and partaking in enjoyable activities. Sugar skulls are a favorite treat on Dia de los Muertos and can be found baked into sweets or eaten alone.