![]() ![]() La Catrina is a popular figure among Día de los Muertos celebrations and depicts the Aztec Goddess Mictecacihuatl as a skeleton dressed in very elegant, European fashion as a reminder that even the rich cannot escape the inevitable fate of death. Families stay all night at the graveyard with food and drinks while they socialize with others and tell stories of their ancestors. Some families gather at the gravesite of those who have passed away to clean up the headstones and decorate them in a similar fashion to the ofrendas with cempasúchil flowers, photos, candles, etc. Family members and friends are welcomed to visit the ofrendas and celebrate the lives lost with good food and stories of the deceased. For example, decorating ofrendas with photos of the deceased, their personal belongings, favorite foods and drinks, water, pan de muerto, cempasuchil flowers, tamales, calaveras, candles, and papel picado (colorful paper garlands cut in intricate shapes and patterns) helps to connect the deceased with the living and guide them back to their homes for a visit. Offering these items of consolation and nourishment invites lost souls to enjoy the comforts of their former homes and the company of their loved ones. Ofrendas can be found set up in the homes of those who have passed, near their graves, and also in public spaces. In general, families celebrate and connect with their loved ones who have passed away through these ceremonies and festivities. Much cultural syncretism has taken place to create the Día de Muertos celebrations practiced today which often vary by location, culture, and circumstance. ![]() As a result of Spanish colonization of the Americas, these ancient traditions were combined with Catholic celebrations of All Saints and All Souls Days, November 1st and 2nd. In this way, death would not be feared and would instead be a joyous occasion of continuing one’s life into another realm. Historically, Toltec, Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec cultures believed strongly in life after death, that life and death are cyclical and should both be celebrated. Modern day celebrations of El Día de los Muertos are the result of thousands of years of pre-Hispanic tradition combined with Spanish-Catholic influence. During this time, families gather together to remember and honor the deceased with ofrendas (altars), calaveras (skulls), calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls), pan de muerto (a light, sweet bread topped with sugar), cempasúchil (a variety of marigolds native to Mexico), processionals, and other festivities. El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a celebration of life and death practiced mainly in Mexico but also increasingly in other Latin American countries, in the United States, and other places around the world where this tradition has been introduced. Not to be confused with Halloween festivities of any kind, this holiday is a joyous, colorful, and bright celebration of the lives of loved ones who have passed on to another world. The celebration is officially recognized on November 1st and November 2nd.
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