Day of the dead is a big holiday we celebrate in Mexico. Some people even celebrate it in different countries all over the world. The day of the dead is exactly how it sounds. Mexicans take a day to remember all their loved ones that have past away. This particular day of course is important everyday but, here in Mexico people like to denote one day out of all the other days to be extra special. There are many different festivities that go on in Mexico too during the day of the dead. This ritual has been going on for thousands of years already.
Frances Ann Day puts this three day celebration of the day of the dead into perspective:
“On October 31, All Hallows Eve, the children make a children’s altar to invite the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to come back for a visit. November 1 is All Saints Day, and the adult spirits will come to visit. November 2 is All Souls Day, when families go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and tombs of their relatives. The three-day fiesta is filled with marigolds, the flowers of the dead; muertos (the bread of the dead); sugar skulls; cardboard skeletons; tissue paper decorations; fruit and nuts; incense, and other traditional foods and decorations.”
The day of the dead is actually a happy day here in Mexico. As a matter of fact, Mexicans celebrate all the fun events they had with their past ancestors and people they are remembering on this day. Many people bring their favorite food and beverages to the cemetery and say prayers. This helps to speak with the souls of the dead. They also drop of flowers and photographs and anything that helps represent their life. Most people on this day go to the gravesites and clean around their graves. Moreover, some people even spend the night next to their loved ones grave or have a picnic beside it.
Ofrendas to the death
In addition, Mexicans also prepare an ofrenda, which is an altar they dedicate to the person they are remembering. They decorate this altars with traditional food, candies, candles and more. In Mexico, ofrendas are so important and meaningful that there are even contests. Basically, people dedicate to decorate an altar with objects that symbolizes a person. The result is actually amazing and ofrendas are really beautiful.
Also, public schools and different government offices prepare different arts and crafts on this day. This day is a big day in Mexico and it should not go without some sort of applause to your deceased. Some locations around Mexico even dress up and deceased or they wear seashells on their clothes, because they believe they will wake up the dead. Each person has his or her own way to celebrate this day and it is a neat holiday to be in Mexico for!
