Moving through Mexican streets during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) season can be a sensory delight. You may hear the constant tinkling of bells from dancers, smell the smoky odor of incense wafting through the air, see magnificent altars remembering those who have died, or feel the soft and pungent-smelling petals of cempasuchil, the Mexican version of marigolds.
Not to mention all the foods you can sample along the way, including complex moles and hot chocolate the way Mexica (the Nahuatl-speaking people who established Tenochtitlan) made them centuries ago.
Día de los Muertos is one of the most stunning holidays in Mexico, and we can’t recommend it enough. If you’re thinking of visiting Mexico or a local celebration, you’ll want to learn some Spanish to really disfrutar (enjoy) the festivities that are both solemn and noisy, religious and pagan, spooky and fun.
What better way to learn than with a natural method that, a bit like a Day of the Dead celebration, engulfs your senses with sound and visuals? You’ll hear native speakers at the same time you see images and written words. With Rosetta Stone, you’ll learn Spanish quickly so you can be off to your next Day of the Dead celebration with its titillating sights, sounds, and smells.
>> Check out the full list of holidays in Mexico for even more reasons to celebrate.
What is Day of the Dead and why is it celebrated?
Day of the Dead honors and remembers friends and family members who have passed away while it reminds the living of their eventual destiny. The celebration is so significant that UNESCO has designated it as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Primarily associated with Mexico, it is also celebrated in Central and South America, the Philippines, and the United States. Like many holidays in Mexico, Day of the Dead is more a season than a single day. Though in some respects a solemn holiday, Day of the Dead also has many playful undertones, since it sometimes makes fun of both the dead and the living with, for instance, calaveras literarias, literary skull poems.
With pre-Hispanic roots, Day of the Dead is actually an indigenous celebration. The Mexica culture believed that spirits went to different parts of the underworld depending on how a person died. These spirits—along with the god and goddess who oversaw them—were honored at several different times during the year with an ofrenda, an offering often in the form of an altar.
After the Spanish conquered Mexico in the early 16th century, the different celebration dates were consolidated into a single holiday coinciding with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Particularly from the colonial period through the time of the revolution, Day of the Dead celebrations evolved into what they are today.
Is Halloween the same as Day of the Dead?
Although some Halloween traditions have filtered into Día de los Muertos celebrations, Halloween is not the same as Day of the Dead. Rather, it is a tradition with Celtic roots that only occurs on October 31. Linked to the harvest and the coming of winter, the Celts held a festival called Samhain on November 1 when they believed the souls of the dead returned to earth and the recently deceased transitioned to the otherworld.
In the Middle Ages, the Pope moved the date of All Saints’ Day to November 1. The evening before was considered sacred, a hallowed eve, later shortened to Halloween, but with time, the holiday became much more secular in nature. All Souls’ Day then falls on November 2 and is a time to remember and pray for the dead.
As you can see, late October and early November have a long tradition in many cultures of being a time for thinking about ghosts and goblins, spiritual matters, and the deceased.
When is Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) in 2024?
The Day of the Dead is officially celebrated over the course of two days: November 1 and 2. In 2024, these will be on a Friday and Saturday.
Many Mexican communities will start setting up their altars several days prior, since it is thought that some spirits, including those of pets, come back starting on October 28. October 30 and 31 are dedicated to the souls of children who died before they could be baptized, known as Los Angelitos (The Little Angels).
How does Mexico celebrate Day of the Dead?
Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead in myriad and elaborate ways, including parades, food, altars, and costumes. Some preparations for events like parades start almost a year in advance due to their complexity. Equally complex are the often gorgeous altars, which abound in public, at offices, and at homes.
Many people visit local cemeteries, previously adorned for the occasion, where their loved ones are buried. It’s also a time when families gather for a meal or to drink hot chocolate, and friends may get together to drink a mezcal or two. School age children have their festivities as well and may be spotted on the streets after school delightful devil, skeleton, or mariachi costumes.
Although Día de los Muertos traditions may be stronger in central and southern parts of Mexico like Oaxaca and Chiapas, you’ll find festivities everywhere. Altars and cemetery visits, at the very least, are simply a part of family and social activities.
Day of the Dead cemetery visits and decorations
The cemetery visits are really quite extraordinary. Everyone is welcome as long as they are quiet and respectful. Cemeteries usually get a general cleaning a few weeks before Day of the Dead. Then, families visit the cemetery on November 1 and 2 from twilight to late in the night.
Families adorn the graves with flowers and candles, sometimes in ornate ways that take days to create. Large graves have been known to accommodate hundreds or even thousands of flowers which are often orange cempasuchil marigolds, the most iconic flower of the holiday. Families may bring a meal, preferably one that includes the favorite food of the deceased, and eat at the gravesite as a way to remember their relatives. Incense called copal is often used.
Day of the Dead festivals
Most towns will have processions called comparsas: a lively parade with live music, dancing, and costumes. The costumes are often traditional indigenous ones. Plenty of beautiful skull-themed makeup and flower crowns abound. Some choose to mirror Catrinas or Catrines, dressing up elegantly to mimic European customs of the 1910’s. Children have fun dressing up too in fancy suits, hats, and skull faces.
While nearly every town in Mexico offers a delightful visit at this time of year, here are just a few of the most noteworthy festivals for Día de los Muertos in Mexico:
- Festival de Calaveras, Aguascalientes: This festival honors José Guadalupe Posada’s skeletal imagery and features a parade, concerts, and fireworks.
- Mexico City: La Ciudad de México knows how to celebrate Day of the Dead en grande (in a big way). There are parades, two huge ofrendas, giant alebrijes (fantastical animal sculptures), and even an evening costume event on bicycles.
- Oaxaca: The city of Oaxaca is one of the most popular places to visit for Día de los Muertos due to its preserved traditions and hip cultural scene. Nearby San Agustín Etla offers an extended comparsa called a muerteada that lasts about 24 hours and offers music, theater, and elaborate costumes with bells that become part of the music.
>> These 100+ basic Spanish phrases can help you make the most of your next trip!
Day of the Dead altars
Altar size and shapes will vary widely, but a few elements are almost always included. With several layers or perhaps an arch, a table is covered with some sort of cloth. There are flowers and bread, and the necessary photos of the deceased, who are enticed back home with their favorite dishes like mole or tamales.
The photos are said to help the spirits make sure they’re in the right house! Lit candles guide the spirits back home as well. Sugar skulls may also adorn the display, and a glass of water is always important because the spirits are said to have a long journey to their former house and may be thirsty. The altars can also include alcohol or cigarettes if the deceased person liked to smoke or drink.
Day of the Dead decorations
Here we cover some of the most popular decorations used for Day of the Dead to adorn both home and body.
Day of the Dead skulls
These skulls, which come in various patterns and sizes, are made of sugar and can be purchased at the local market. Decorated with icing and colored foil paper, they’re not normally eaten. There’s usually a space on the sugar skull above the eyebrow line for a name, and sometimes the living get a skull with their name on it, a lighthearted reminder of the precariousness of life and the certainty of death.
Day of the Dead makeup
Much Day of the Dead makeup involves painting one’s face to look like a skull, and the imagery can be striking and even a bit scary. Adults and children alike may then don everyday street wear, mariachi costumes, or indigenous clothing to go to their events. The juxtaposition of the deadly-looking yet playful face along with everyday clothes startles and intrigues.
Day of the Dead flowers
In the ancient culture of Mexico, they believed the smells of cempasuchil (marigolds) helped the dead return for their visit to earth. While cock’s comb is sometimes used for altars, marigolds are the predominant flower for the ofrendas, and they’re sold in the open air markets in huge bundles. Marigolds petals may be strewn on the ground as part of the decorations as well.
Traditional Day of the Dead food
Ah, the food during the Day of the Dead season! Both the living and the dead get to partake, but the spirits simply absorb it. For them, it’s an endless buffet of food, calorie-free. Here are just a few of the delicacies you can find in Mexico at this time of year.
- Pan de Muerto: This “Bread of the Dead” is ubiquitous starting in mid-October. Mildly sweet and usually round, it’s made with eggs and a slight flavoring, usually anise. There are many varieties, including sugar-coated bread or bread with a flour figurine representing a soul, but be sure not to eat that part.
- Chocolate: Originating in Mexico, chocolate is ground with spices and sweetener, melted into hot water, and whipped until frothy. There are other varieties of hot chocolate in Mexico, but you’ll be pressed to find one with marshmallows.
- Mole: This sauce, usually served over chicken, originated in pre-Hispanic times and was further developed during the colonial era either in Puebla or Oaxaca, depending on who you ask. With 20 or more varieties, homemade moles may contain dozens of ingredients and take the better part of a day to make. The incomparable result is a blend of distinct flavors like nothing you’ve ever eaten before.
- Dulces (sweets): As we mentioned, the sugar skulls are not meant to be eaten, but others dulces definitely are! The most common one is calabaza, a large squash that gets slow-cooked with spices and piloncillo, a dark sugar.
- Tamales: Tamales come in all sizes and shapes and vary considerably depending on the region where they’re made. Wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks, they contain tasty cooked cornmeal along with chicken, pork, or cheese, plus some variation of sauce, such as a salsa or mole.
Make the most of every celebration
Dia de los Muertos really is a feast for the eyes, the soul, and the stomach. With every altar and lively parade, the holiday seems to say: Life is short. Enjoy it while it’s here. The dead are just beyond the veil. No need to take it all so seriously.
From incredible makeup and costumes to overflowing ofrendas, Day of the Dead offers so much for young and old. As Mexican communities take this time to remember family members, including pets, who have passed away, they confront life and death through laughter, joy, and quiet reflection.
If you’d like to maximize your understanding of Día de los Muertos and Mexican culture, building your Spanish skills can help you form meaningful connections with the community at large. With Rosetta Stone, you’ll learn Spanish in a fun, engaging environment. From bite-sized lessons to immediate pronunciation feedback, we’re here to get you conversation ready in no time.
Written by Rowena Galavitz
Rowena Galavitz is a Spanish translator, bilingual copy editor, and language and literature instructor with three master’s degrees who loves Spanish and all things Mexico.
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