How to Celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Make an altar for the deceased., Visit the graves of your loved ones., Set out pillows and blankets in your home., Play music., Write calaveras literarias., Make Day of the Dead masks., Wear Day of the Dead makeup., Dress in costume for the holiday.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make an altar for the deceased.
You can create an altar for just one person or an altar for many people.
Fill the altar with favorite foods and trinkets that the people enjoyed in their lifetime.
Decorate it with candles, flowers, and a framed photo of the person or people you are remembering.
Spend time at the altar, telling fond and humorous stories about the deceased.Many people choose to pray, and add a Christian cross and statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the altar.
Catrina figures (a costumed female with a skeleton face) are popular decorations for altars. -
Step 2: Visit the graves of your loved ones.
Clean and decorate the grave with ofrendas (offerings) like "cempasúchitl" (orange marigolds) or "Flor de Muerto" ("Flower of the Dead"), which are thought to attract souls of the dead.
You can even make a path from flower petals from the grave to your home to help your loved ones find their way.
Lay down trinkets and the deceased's favorite candies.Usually, deceased children are honored on November 1, while deceased adults are honored on November
2.
For children (los angelitos or little angels) bring toys and sugar skulls; for adults, bring bottles of their favorite alcoholic beverage (tequila, mezcal, pulque).
You can visit the graves of your loved ones any time during the holiday, or even spend all night in the cemetery eating, drinking, talking, playing cards, and listening to music. , Traditionally, people celebrating Día de los Muertos arrange a pillow and blanket for each of their deceased loved ones in their home.
This is so that the spirits of the dead can rest after their journey, as they are believed to visit their loved ones during this time., Listen to live mariachi music or play your loved one’s favorite songs or recordings.
Enjoy the music and celebrate the life of the deceased.
Some people even have parades through the graveyard, and play music, dance, and celebrate while stopping at the gravestones of each of their loved ones., Calaveras literarias (“literary skulls”), also known as panteones, are short poems written in the form of epitaphs.
These poems are satirical or funny, and often poke fun at your loved ones’ quirks or embarrassing moments.
You can even illustrate your poem with pictures of your loved one or of Dapper Death and his Dame.Traditionally, calaveras literarias were written in four-line stanzas in which the second line rhymes with the last line, or five-line stanzas in which the third line rhymes with the last line.
In modern times, many of these poems are written in blank verse and are no longer than one page.For instance, if your loved one was a poor bullfighter, you could write a short poem in which they struggle or fail during a bullfight.
Humor often plays a large role in the calaveras literarias. , This is a great activity for children on Día de los Muertos.
Draw a skull or trace a template you find online.
Decorate the mask in a traditional style, or create your own designs.
Cut out the mask, punch a hole on either side, and attach a string to each hole.
Tie the mask around your head and head out to celebrate.Masks can be either half- or full-face.
Traditional designs include skulls and flowers.
You can use crayons, markers, puffy paint, glitter glue, etc., to decorate your mask as you wish. , Many people like to wear makeup that is reminiscent of a sugar skull on the Day of the Dead.
Paint your face white, then add large colored circles around your eyes.
You can draw “stitches” on your lips and extending out from your mouth.
Paint on a nose, and add decorations like flowers or spiderwebs to your face., Nowadays, many people wear items of clothing decorated with sugar skulls or skeleton prints, such as shirts, dresses, or leggings on Día de los Muertos.
You can also wear shells and dance so that the noisiness "wakes up" the dead, or even dress up as the deceased.Some women also dress as Calavera Catrina in long, flowing, brightly-colored lace dresses paired with flower crowns and sugar skull makeup.
Sometimes, children dress in costume and ask people on the street for a calaverita (a small gift of money).
Unlike Halloween, though, they don't knock on doors. -
Step 3: Set out pillows and blankets in your home.
-
Step 4: Play music.
-
Step 5: Write calaveras literarias.
-
Step 6: Make Day of the Dead masks.
-
Step 7: Wear Day of the Dead makeup.
-
Step 8: Dress in costume for the holiday.
Detailed Guide
You can create an altar for just one person or an altar for many people.
Fill the altar with favorite foods and trinkets that the people enjoyed in their lifetime.
Decorate it with candles, flowers, and a framed photo of the person or people you are remembering.
Spend time at the altar, telling fond and humorous stories about the deceased.Many people choose to pray, and add a Christian cross and statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the altar.
Catrina figures (a costumed female with a skeleton face) are popular decorations for altars.
Clean and decorate the grave with ofrendas (offerings) like "cempasúchitl" (orange marigolds) or "Flor de Muerto" ("Flower of the Dead"), which are thought to attract souls of the dead.
You can even make a path from flower petals from the grave to your home to help your loved ones find their way.
Lay down trinkets and the deceased's favorite candies.Usually, deceased children are honored on November 1, while deceased adults are honored on November
2.
For children (los angelitos or little angels) bring toys and sugar skulls; for adults, bring bottles of their favorite alcoholic beverage (tequila, mezcal, pulque).
You can visit the graves of your loved ones any time during the holiday, or even spend all night in the cemetery eating, drinking, talking, playing cards, and listening to music. , Traditionally, people celebrating Día de los Muertos arrange a pillow and blanket for each of their deceased loved ones in their home.
This is so that the spirits of the dead can rest after their journey, as they are believed to visit their loved ones during this time., Listen to live mariachi music or play your loved one’s favorite songs or recordings.
Enjoy the music and celebrate the life of the deceased.
Some people even have parades through the graveyard, and play music, dance, and celebrate while stopping at the gravestones of each of their loved ones., Calaveras literarias (“literary skulls”), also known as panteones, are short poems written in the form of epitaphs.
These poems are satirical or funny, and often poke fun at your loved ones’ quirks or embarrassing moments.
You can even illustrate your poem with pictures of your loved one or of Dapper Death and his Dame.Traditionally, calaveras literarias were written in four-line stanzas in which the second line rhymes with the last line, or five-line stanzas in which the third line rhymes with the last line.
In modern times, many of these poems are written in blank verse and are no longer than one page.For instance, if your loved one was a poor bullfighter, you could write a short poem in which they struggle or fail during a bullfight.
Humor often plays a large role in the calaveras literarias. , This is a great activity for children on Día de los Muertos.
Draw a skull or trace a template you find online.
Decorate the mask in a traditional style, or create your own designs.
Cut out the mask, punch a hole on either side, and attach a string to each hole.
Tie the mask around your head and head out to celebrate.Masks can be either half- or full-face.
Traditional designs include skulls and flowers.
You can use crayons, markers, puffy paint, glitter glue, etc., to decorate your mask as you wish. , Many people like to wear makeup that is reminiscent of a sugar skull on the Day of the Dead.
Paint your face white, then add large colored circles around your eyes.
You can draw “stitches” on your lips and extending out from your mouth.
Paint on a nose, and add decorations like flowers or spiderwebs to your face., Nowadays, many people wear items of clothing decorated with sugar skulls or skeleton prints, such as shirts, dresses, or leggings on Día de los Muertos.
You can also wear shells and dance so that the noisiness "wakes up" the dead, or even dress up as the deceased.Some women also dress as Calavera Catrina in long, flowing, brightly-colored lace dresses paired with flower crowns and sugar skull makeup.
Sometimes, children dress in costume and ask people on the street for a calaverita (a small gift of money).
Unlike Halloween, though, they don't knock on doors.
About the Author
Joan Thompson
Brings years of experience writing about pet care and related subjects.
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