El Día de los Muertos

Celebrating Life, Celebrating Death In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is celebrated from October 31 st to November 2 nd. The holiday is a reflection of the belief in the circle of life, in which death plays a part and is not to be feared. It is not a sad time, but instead is a time of remembering and rejoicing!

Ofrendas In homes, families arrange altars called ofrendas with flowers, bread, candles, pictures, and other items that are reminders of the deceased.

Pan de Muerto Traditional loaves of bread called pan de muerto are baked and decorated with skulls and bones.

Flores In Mexico, it is a tradition to spend the night celebrating in the cemetery. Each gravesite is decorated with flowers. The traditional flower is the marigold.

Papel Picado Papel picado is a traditional art that is used to decorate homes, ofrendas, and markets. It is made from thin, colored tissue paper.

Calaveras The calavera, meaning skull or skeleton, is the key symbol of death. Most calaveras are not ghastly, but are symbolic of life. They are seen almost everywhere during the celebration in the form of sugar skulls, bread, cookies, and decorations.