On November 2nd of every year, the Day of the Dead is celebrated to remember the lives of loved ones we’ve lost. It’s a Mexican holiday that began hundreds of years ago, and it remains a special day that uniquely honors the beautiful spiritual connection between the living and the dead. I love the holiday for many reasons: it connects me to my culture through tradition, it brings me close to my family, and it’s a decorative celebration that can be personalized. There is so much you could learn about this rich day, but these are the reasons I remember this lovely holiday.
If you have watched the movie Coco (2017), you know just how colorful, lively and emotional this traditional holiday is for many communities, friends and families. I grew up celebrating the holiday, and as a Mexican-American, it was a way for me to continue acknowledging and celebrating my heritage. Around mid-October, my mom would set up our family’s altar. Creating an altar is the start of participating in this holiday. On November 1st, children who have passed are honored, and on October 27th, pets who have passed are honored – in the afterlife, they become alebrijes. The altar (ofrenda) is where images of loved ones are placed, commonly at the highest point, and by doing so, it allows them to pass from the land of the dead into the land of the living. On the altar, many decorative pieces are placed, like marigold flowers (cempasĂşchil) to guide the spirits, candles to light the way through the journey, colorful sugar skulls (calaveras), cut paper banners (papel picado), special memorabilia, and pan de muertos. Lastly, you place their favorite food items next to the photographs so they can enjoy them when they arrive.Â
This holiday is special to me because it brings me close to my family throughout the days leading up to the big celebration. This day is very emotional, especially when there have been recent deaths, but it’s also a beautiful moment to think back on the wonderful memories you shared with people who have passed. The altar is personalized to how your family wants to arrange it, and my mom places photographs of family members from both sides of our family, which shows how it’s a way to bring people together even through death.Â
Lastly, the holiday itself can be a fun and exciting day. Every family has its own way of honoring the dead, but many like it to be an uplifting day filled with joy by our loved ones’ presence. Many like to visit the graves of family members and enjoy a festive family dinner. In Mexico, it is also very common for the streets to light up with parades.Â
Overall, Dia de los Muertos is a lively festivity where any person can choose how to remember someone they hold very close in their heart but who has passed on to the afterlife. It’s a beautiful way to commemorate the people we have lost in our lives by celebrating the beautiful life they lived and the memories created that live on.Â