5 Things You Need to Know About Dia De Los Muertos

traditions new and old

Unlike Halloween, Dia de los Muertos is not about the dead - it’s about life. I know it seems contradictory to have a bunch of people parading around as skeletons be about celebrating life, but it totally is guys. This holiday is steeped in tradition, although it’s been modernized in recent years due to tourist demands (that parade from the opening scene in Spectre? Totally not a thing until after the movie came out). While the calaveras look creepy, the purpose is to honor our deceased relatives and honor the lives they lived. This is a holiday about kicking it with your folks who’ve kicked the bucket. Read on to learn more about what we know now as the modern Day of the Dead. For starters, it’s actually two days…

traditional dia de los muertos costumes — 1. It’s an ancient tradition

Joy and generosity are the name of the game. Dia de los Muertos stems from the Mesoamerican days, long before the Spanish colonizers arrived. Aztecs had many traditions involving the dead, but one of the main ones was burial offerings at the grave sites of the deceased. The modern day *ofrenda*, an altar to honor loved ones, is derived from this.

Traditional Dia de los Muertos ofrenda, image from dayofthedead.holiday

Dia de los muertos ofrenda — 2. party over here

Dia de los Muertos is not meant to be creepy, like, at all. Instead, it should be filled with jubilation and merrymaking. That’s why it’s so colorful - mourning is sombre but parties are wild. The brighter and richer your decorations, the better. Also, that’s why there’s music and sweets and dancing - what funeral has that?

Jose Guadalupe Posada bicycle skeletons — 3. humor is muy importante

Mexican humor is known for being bold and black, which is showcased perfectly in this holiday. Artwork displaying skeletons having a great time, popularized by Jose Guadalupe Posada, are beloved for their satirical nature. Dead people can be funny, too, okay?

dia de los muertos cemetery visit — 4. Cemetery visits are customary

One of the reasons Dia de los Muertos is so frequently misunderstood as being a dark or melancholy holiday is due in part to cemetery visits. In actuality, it’s more of an honor and spring cleaning of sorts for loved ones’ graves. It’s common to bring things the deceased loved while alive and to share a meal with them at their gravesite.

5. Marigolds, Monarchs, y Calaveras

Why are there so many bright orange marigolds used during this time, you might ask? Easy, they’re a native to Mexico and are known for their especially pungent fragrance, useful for the dead to find their way back home or to their offering. Butterflies also make a common appearance because they’re believed to hold the spirits of the dead. And what’s with the skulls? Easy, they’re used to represent the cycle of life. The more colorful they are, the better!

Sweet, sweet tradition

Like most Mexican traditions, food plays a vital role in celebrations and Dia de los Muertos is no different. The most popular dish for this holiday in particular is pan de muerto, a puffy loaf that’s coated in sugar and designed to look like a pile of bones. There are also sugar skulls, used more for offerings than eating (P.S. if you want to eat one, make sure to buy the edible variety). I guess that’s one thing Halloween and Dia de los Muertos have in common - the joy of sugar consumption.

Do you have a Dia de los Muertos tradition that you follow or are you interested in celebrating this wonderful holiday? Let us know by posting it on Instagram using the hashtag #saltpoppyliving and chatting with us in the comments below!