Day Of The Dead: 5 Things To Know

Mexico’s biggest religious holiday is coming next month, and there are things that Americans from every nationality should know about the two-day celebration.

The occasion, which is believed in Mexican tradition to be the day when dead relatives visit and celebrate with their surviving families, is celebrated Nov. 1 and 2. Here are five things to know about the holiday:

1) How it’s celebrated

The Day of the Dead is marked with ofrendas (altars) to the dead, sweet foods such as sugar skulls, pan de muertos (bread of the dead), papel picado (colorful paper flags), parades and feasts with loved ones and family members.

One of the most recognizable images associated with Day of the Dead is the orange marigold, a flower with a sweet smell used to lure souls back from the dead to convene with loved ones on Earth.

2) Celebrating during coronavirus

This year’s celebration will look a little different than usual as the coronavirus pandemic continues across the globe. Mexico City’s Day of the Dead parade — which usually consists of millions of people flooding the streets in elaborate attire, masks and painted faces — will not be held this year.

Instead, the nation’s capital will celebrate the holiday with virtual events that will be streamed online.

Traditional Day of the Dead celebrations also involve families traveling to cemeteries, where they build ofrendas at graves and commune with loved ones. This year, however, Mexican authorities have announced cemeteries around the country will be closed to the public. Families have been asked to celebrate in their homes instead.

3) Dia de los Muertos is not Halloween

Day of the Dead and Halloween are not the same holiday, although some practices and traditions are similar.

Halloween — which includes traditions such as trick-or-treating, carving jack-o'-lanterns and wearing elaborate costumes — is derived from European harvest traditions and is celebrated in many countries.

Although Halloween is celebrated in many parts of Mexico, it differs from the Day of the Dead in its origin and purpose.

Day of the Dead was born in Mexico but today is celebrated by people of Mexican heritage in several countries. It was derived from Indigenous Mesoamerican traditions, it is rooted in convening with the dead, and it incorporates cultural and religious traditions.

4) Where it came from

Day of the Dead was born of a combination of Indigenous traditions and the Catholicism brought by Spanish conquistadors. Originally, the festival was dedicated to the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl, the lady of the dead.

The holiday has evolved into its modern form, which celebrates life with festivals, feasts, music and more.

5) How to celebrate Day of the Dead

Non-Mexican people are welcome to observe and even participate in Day of the Dead traditions, but they are reminded to avoid even unintentional cultural appropriation, according to DayoftheDead.holiday, a website created by professional writers in Mexico.

The website says everyone is welcome to create ofrendas in their homes to celebrate and remember dead loved ones and try their hand at authentic Dia de los Muertos recipes.

Dressing up in Day of the Dead-style costumes on Halloween, however, should be avoided, along with sadness and mourning for those who have died.

The website encourages people hoping to learn more about the holiday to check out movies such as “Coco” and “Macario,” the first film shot in Mexico to be nominated for an Oscar.