Día de Los Muertos– families, games, history

Many people want to learn the traditions of the famous Dia de Los Muertos to celebrate and get the most out of the autumn holiday. These customs are rich in history, stories and are celebrated throughout many countries. There are tons of resources online for learning to practice paper cutting, draw skeletons, and create costumes that will elevate your spirit and make your party lively and authentic.

Dias de Los Muertos is celebrated on two days: November 1st and November 2nd. These celebrations are an opportunity to represent the lives of people who no longer exist and to remember the dead through parities, crafts, food, and games instead of typical mourning rituals.

Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos are not the same but have a few similarities. Keep reading to learn some of the traditions, terms, and suggestions to learn more or make your party as authentic as possible!

Is Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos the same?

Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos –The Day of the Dead– are both celebrated in the fall and display spooky costumes and rituals, but they are not the same. Similarities make these two look the same, but celebrations, clothing, and culture that them apart. They are both unique in history and have evolved to reflect cultural values and traditions.

Dia de los Muertos | National Geographic Society

What are the similarities between Halloween and The Day of the Dead?

Decorations, like skulls and wreaths, and crafts and games appear similar when comparing the two holidays. Families celebrate loved ones who have passed on for Dia de Los Muertos through community gatherings, just like parties held on Halloween that marks the beginning of fall harvest and autumn festivities. There are dressing rituals on both holidays like face painting and costume building, and there are lots of foods, candies, sweets, and pastries for both! Both holidays encourage silliness and humor, as well as the dark and macabre intrigue of the dead.

What day is Dia de Los Muertos celebrated?

There are two days that people celebrate Dia de Los Muertos. You could say Dias instead of Dia to remember that there are two because Dias is plural for Dia. November 1 is reserved for the tiny children that have died–Dia de Los Inocentes. November 2 is Dia de Los Muertos– the day of festivities and remembrance rituals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb3EuAvnT58

What countries celebrate The Day of the Dead?

Typically associated with Mexico, Dia de Los Muertos is also celebrated in different ways in:

What do people do to celebrate The Day of the Dead?

Dia de Los Muertos, also called The Day of the Dead, is celebrated to remember the lives that Latin Americans have lost. These parties involve food, music, culturally appropriate decorations, and games to provide an animated display of love and passion instead of mourning. This celebration gives people an opportunity to remember and accept death as a normal part of life by uplifting communities struggling with grief.

People emphasize deceased loved ones through parties, crafts, and jokes. Traditions focus on togetherness and humor as communities create food platters, play music, pray, display pictures, and tell stories. Families are often found making floral displays, decorating dark homes, painting faces, and telling stories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5iZBMxNW7I

Why do we wear costumes on The Day of the Dead?

The Day of the Dead celebrates lives that have died through celebrations, music, and costumes. The costumes represent life and death as a symbol of duality. Props and materials reflect the interests of those that have died and describe their life through colorful patterns and lively music. Costumes often remind people of the dead and help acknowledge their lives through physical possessions or symbols that once represented them.

Some people dress in costumes, fancy extravagant clothing, and wear musical props and tools that remind them of the deceased. Women might wear gowns and long dresses, style their hair, paint their faces, or wear a mask, while men wear traditional clothing with a blazer, pants, and a fine hat. Check out the video for more ideas for face painting and costumes!

“Day Of The Dead” Mexican Sugar Skull Makeup Tutorial Halloween | LoLo Love – YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pWhHTc_AAs

What do people decorate to symbolize Dia De Los Muertos?

1. Angelitos are made to celebrate the babies and children that died. Angels are made with everyday craft supplies like paper, doilies, fabric, polyester stuffing, or white feathers. They can be crocheted out of yarn, made glass or ceramic, or wood.

2. Alebrijes are folk art sculptures of mythical and magical creatures. It was thought that they were the “animals that escaped the nightmares of an artist and appeared as a variety of different species – both real and fantastic.” They are typically lizards, insects, lions, owls, dogs, bulls, fish, foxes, and dragons but can be combined with characters and features for crafting purposes.

3. Calaveras are candies that look like sugar skulls made and gifted to friends and neighbors during this celebration. These decorative skulls are edible because they are made with sugar and icing but with beads, feathers, and other craft supplies to add to their festive look.

The History of Dia de los Muertos Sugar Skulls (thespruceeats.com)

The Meaning and Importance of Sugar Skulls (dayofthedead.holiday)

4. Food plates are another huge celebratory item for this occasion. Traditional foods like sweet pastries and mole are created to offer to guests. Check out the link below for more food ideas!

The Best Dia de Los Muertos Food for Your Day of the Dead Celebration (tasteofhome.com)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YNe5CB8qxs

5. Ofrendas, or offerings, are used to decorate the cemetery where the deceased lay. These sites are where loved ones honor the dead and are a massive part of this celebration. People display candles, home goods, foods, and items that personally relate to loss. Photographs, personal belongings, and clothes are used to remember the dead and are displayed on the gravestone or alter. Decorations use bright colors, patterns, and marigold flowers.

6. Doorways and exterior houses are decorated to brighten the scene and make a lively display for visitors and families. Flowers, banners, and images memorialize the dead are used around doors, windows, and walls.

7. Papel Picado are creations made with paper for the alter or gravestones where the display is located. They are perforated and have intricate designs to represent wind in the cultural offering.

8. Faces painting on this day usually represents the Calaveras, or skulls, because the holiday symbolizes the duality of life. La Catrina from Posado is a widely known art. Typically one half of the face is made to look skeletal, white, and dead, to mimic the deceased, while the other side looks fleshy, skin-tone, and alive. There are a lot of variations of these designs that involve intricate doily-like patterns, lattices, skeletal drawings, and bright colors.

The True Origins Of La Catrina | Dia de los Muertos – YouTube

9. Festivals are where people come together as a community and celebrate, decorate, eat, and dance together. Festivals last for many days are an integral part of the celebration in some cultures. There are huge parades, face-painting, and contests.

DAY OF THE DEAD PARADE MEXICO CITY – YouTube

What is Day of the Dead? | National Geographic – YouTube

What are the four traditional elements of the Ofrenda?

Display offerings contain gifts and images representing four elements: water, wind, earth, and fire.

Water keeps the spirits hydrated as pitchers, or water bottles are frequently offered to the dead.

Wind represents the fragility and is shown with paper banners in the unique ofrenda displays.

Earth, used to remember the dead were living, is displayed through food platters, breads, and candies.

Fire represented through candles and copal reminds the dead of their path as they light their way.

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What are some symbols for The Day of the Dead?

What color is for The Day of the Dead?

There are seven colors that people use to create crafts and use in decorative symbols. They are: yellow, orange, black, white, pink, purple, and red. These colors signify light, insects, death, suffering, flowers, health, resilience, hope, and blood throughout art and decorations.

Translations of Dia de Los Muertos terms

What are some fun facts about The Day of the Dead?

• It is not a Mexican holiday

• Halloween and the day of the dead are not the same holidays

• It is about happiness and reflection, not sadness and mourning

• Silliness and humor is encouraged

• Tradition vary depending on the location

10 facts to know about Day of the Dead

10 Traditions that make up Day of the Dead

Five facts about Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) | Smithsonian Institution (si.edu)