4 Significant Día de los Muertos Traditions to Honor Departed Loved Ones

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Oct 14, 2020 03:36 AM EDT

Día de los Muertos, a day dedicated to dearly departed ones, hold a variety of traditions that families do together.

It is a sacred and joyous time that happens from October 31 to November 2. Día de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is a sacred and festive event filled with traditions.

Customs vary by region. Some traditions are fairly simple, like food, flowers, and visiting a deceased family to offer prayers. But some are more well-known than others.

Here are some Día de los Muertos traditions for the spirits of deceased loved ones in the afterlife:

Ofrendas

One of the central traditions on the Day of the Dead is the ofrenda. It is an individualized ritual altar found at homes, cemeteries, and churches.

According to Family Search, these altars include photos, possessions of the deceased, candles, flowers, and others. It even includes toys for little angels (los angelitos). These altars are used to welcome the dead during the three-day event, welcoming them with food and drinks.

As the National Geographic noted, these ofrendas aren't meant for worshipping the dead. Instead, they are meant to celebrate loved ones who passed away.

Calaveras

Calazeras is an Aztec tradition that continues in the Día de los Muertos.

They are also known as sugar skulls since they are made out of compressed sugar and water. The name of the deceased loved one is written on the skill's forehead or a piece of colored foil.

According to My Modern Met, these skulls can also be decorated with motifs like flowers or spiderwebs. They are colorful folk art skulls that can also feature feathers, beads, or ribbons.

It serves as a reminder of the cycles of life. While some are simple decoration, some of these Calaveras can also be eaten.

Offering Marigolds

Marigolds are the main flowers used to decorate the ofrendas. It is often scattered from the altar to the gravesite.

It is said that marigolds guide wandering souls with their colors and scent. In their visit to the living, marigolds will help guide the dead to their place of rest during the three-day celebration.

It is also an Aztec tradition that continues to this day. It also symbolizes the fragility of human life.

Other than these flowers, ofrendas can also be decorated with Technicolor tissue paper known as papel picado ("chiseled paper"). It is a flag-like folk art evolved from a pre-Columbian version derived from tree bark.

It was used by Aztecs to compile codices and adorn religious sites.

Pan de Muerto

Families gather to eat their pan de muerto along with their loved ones' favorite foods.

They share this special sweet bread during the holiday while sharing memories of past family members.

The recipe for pan de muerto varies depending on the region, but it is commonly accompanied by moles, tamales, chocolate, candies, and drinks of atole and coffee.

It is also typically flavored with anise seeds and orange seeds.

In Mexican tradition, it is believed that the spirits of the dead work up an appetite wandering to the realm of the living after coming from the afterlife. They absorb and enjoy the essence of the pan de muerto as the living people consume it.