Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead, a holiday when people come together to celebrate those in heaven. Many people associate this holiday with grief and sadness, however this beautiful Mexican tradition celebrates this day with color, music, and happiness. To reconnect with those who have passed they conduct this festival with delicious food, vibrant altars, and exciting parades as they decorate photos of their ancestors in flowers, candles, and other popular decorations. November 1st and 2nd are the holy days they celebrate this occasion as they reunite with those spirits who are resting in heaven.
Children adore this day as they bring out their creativity when creating paper decorations, dancing to exciting music, and decorate their photographs with objects they once loved. They have an opportunity to connect with their cultural heritage through a magical time. In order to represent their joyful attitude towards Dia de Muertos, children offer colorful flowers, specifically marigolds, and hand-made crafts. They also enjoyed dressing up in costumes with additional face-paint to represent skulls. Rather than focusing on the loss of their family members, children are taught to accept the cycle of life.
Food plays an essential role in Dia de Muertos, keeping it as an offering for the loved ones who are in heaven. One of the most common and popular dishes is pan de muertos, which is a sweet bread which is generally round to symbolize the cycle of life and death. Families also create the infamous sugar skulls, known as calavera, as a decoration near the photos of the ancestors, it is personalized with their name written in icing which is a fun and creative activity. Tamales are commonly the main dish made as a savory treat for the spirits, filled with meat or beans.
Although it is crucial to have positive energy towards celebrating loved ancestors, it is necessary to respect and remember their significant memories. This time is a great way to honor the special memories they have created in life while also acknowledging the long-lasting impact they have left on the family and community. Which people generally light the surrounding of their photo and cemeteries with candles to remove the negative spirit that may surround them. This tradition allows the spirits to stay in a clean and decorative area, which is a way they embrace the natural part of the cycle of life, when reconnecting with them.
Day of the Dead, though it originated in the early 1500, is a beautiful celebration of life, which is a crucial way to honor those who were once a part of the family or community. Through vibrant, joyful, and happy traditions, they reconnect with the spirits who have left, celebrating their long life. Food, decorations, and jolly gatherings help create new memories which can be remembered in the future, while symbolizing the natural part of life and death with respect and gratitude.
Work Cited
“Dia de Muertos: Numeros ; A Day of the Dead Counting Book.” The Horn Book Guide, fall 2023. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A777543080/SUIC?u=j043905010&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=f2b2fdb2. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
“¡Vamos! Let’s Celebrate Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.” The Horn Book Guide, fall 2024. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A822690041/SUIC?u=j043905010&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=0c2d49fc. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.