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Explore and celebrate one of Mexico's most ancient and popular traditions

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Dia de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead - is a revered annual celebration in Mexico and many areas of the United States with robust Mexican-American communities.

The traditional holiday honors deceased loved ones. In recent years, Día de los Muertos has also become a popular theme in mainstream culture and has been recognized and celebrated in different forms in various parts of the world. However, its most authentic and deeply rooted celebrations can still be found in Mexico.

Here are interesting facts about Day of the Dead, including its most beloved traditions, why it's celebrated over two days and the meaning of sugar skulls.

What is Day of the Dead?

The holiday has roots in ancient pre-Hispanic Mexico/Mesoamerica, and is celebrated to honor and remember deceased loved ones. It is a vibrant and festive occasion that takes place annually on Nov. 1 and 2.

Rather than being a somber or mournful occasion, Día de los Muertos is a joyous and colorful celebration of life and death. It is believed that during these days, the spirits of the departed return to the world of the living to visit their families and loved ones.

The celebration involves various customs and traditions, which differ regionally across Mexico.

Why is it called Day of the Dead?

"Day of the Dead" is the English translation of the Spanish term "Día de los Muertos." The name reflects the central focus and purpose of the holiday, which is to honor and remember the dead.

When is Day of the Dead celebrated?

The holiday begins on the evening of Oct. 31 and continues through Nov. 2. These dates coincide with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls' Day (Nov. 2).

Preparations and festivities often extend beyond this time frame. In some regions, people start creating altars and decorating gravesites in the days leading up to Nov. 1, Mathew Sandoval, a professor at Arizona State University researching Día de los Muertos, said.

"I would say that most people, you could really say, celebrate it for a week or multiple weeks," Sandoval said. "Because many people don't make the ofrenda on Nov. 1, they don't make it on Oct. 31, they don't make it on Nov. 2. They make it weeks in advance of the actual holiday."

In Mexico City, Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout October and many people add to and change up their altars as the month progresses.

What are the dates of Day of the Dead?

Día de los Muertos is observed on Nov. 1 and 2, to honor different groups of loved ones.

Nov. 1 is dedicated to honoring deceased children and is often referred to as Día de los Inocentes or Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Innocents or Day of the Little Angels). On this day, families create special ofrendas (altars), decorate gravesites and offer toys, sweets or other items that the children enjoyed in life.

Nov. 2 is known as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead or Day of the Deceased) and is a day to commemorate adult ancestors and friends. Families visit cemeteries, clean and decorate gravesites and create elaborate ofrendas in their homes or at burial sites. They offer food, drinks, flowers and personal mementos to honor and welcome the spirits of the deceased.

By observing two days, Día de los Muertos allows for separate remembrance of deceased children and adults, acknowledging the different stages of life and providing a specific focus for each day. It reflects a blending of indigenous Aztec beliefs and Catholic traditions, combining the pre-Columbian reverence for ancestors and the afterlife with Catholic teachings on saints and souls.

What religion is Day of the Dead rooted in?

Día de los Muertos combines several religious and cultural traditions.

"When the Spanish came over and colonized the Americas, they brought Catholicism with them," Sandoval said. "And so we would be foolish to think that there aren't European, Spanish and Catholic roots to this holiday."

Sandoval said there is an African spirituality component to Día de los Muertos as well because Spain was invaded and held multiple times as an empire by North Africans. There was also African slave trade in Mexico.

What does the Day of the Dead actually celebrate?

Day of the Dead celebrates the belief that the spirits of the deceased return to the world of the living during this time. It is a joyful and colorful occasion that embraces death as a natural part of the human experience, rather than a somber or fearful event.

Traditions vary across Mexico. Some universal aspects of Day of the Dead observances include:

Honoring and remembering: Families create altars or ofrendas in their homes or at gravesites to celebrate their loved ones. These altars are adorned with photographs, candles, flowers (particularly marigolds), favorite foods, beverages and personal belongings of the deceased. The offerings are meant to welcome and nourish the spirits as they return to visit their families.

Commemoration: Day of the Dead provides an opportunity for families and communities to come together and remember the lives of their departed loved ones. It is a time to share stories and memories about the deceased, ensuring that their legacy is not forgotten.

Celebration of life: Rather than focusing on loss and sorrow, Day of the Dead is a celebration of life and the connections that endure beyond death. Families gather to enjoy music, dance, traditional foods and other festivities. It is a time for joy, laughter, and appreciation of the preciousness of life.

What countries celebrate Day of the Dead?

Día de los Muertos is primarily celebrated in Mexico. Customs vary by region.

For example, Oaxaca is known for vibrant and elaborate celebrations, Michoacán's observances are deeply rooted in tradition and Mexico City is known for its wealth of events and activities.

Outside Mexico, Día de los Muertos is celebrated in regions with significant Mexican and Mexican-American communities, particularly in Arizona and the rest of the Southwest, California and Texas.

How is Dia de los Muertos celebrated in Mexico?

Customs vary, but these are some common practices and elements of Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico:

Ofrendas (altars): Families create elaborate altars in their homes or at gravesites to honor their deceased loved ones.

Cemeteries: Families visit cemeteries to clean and decorate the graves of their departed loved ones.

Calaveras and Catrinas: People paint their faces to resemble skulls or dress in costumes representing these figures.

Sugar skulls: Sugar skulls, or calaveras de azúcar, are intricately decorated edible skulls made of sugar or chocolate.

Marigolds: Marigolds, known as cempasúchil or flor de muerto, hold special significance during Día de los Muertos. Their vibrant orange and yellow colors and strong scent are believed to guide the spirits to the altars and gravesites.

Parades and festivals: Participants wear colorful costumes, paint their faces as skulls and carry banners or puppets representing the deceased. These events often feature music, dancing, traditional performances and lively processions through the streets.

What goes on a Día de los Muertos altar?

Parts of a Día de los Muertos ofrenda include:

Photographs.

Candles.

Marigolds (cempasúchil).

Food and beverages.

Personal belongings.

Papel picado, colorful tissue paper cut into intricate shapes to create decorative banners.

Religious symbols.

Incense.

Personal offerings.

Do people wear costumes for Dia de los Muertos?

Día de los Muertos is not typically associated with costumes in the same way as Halloween. Instead, it is more focused on creating colorful and elaborate displays, altars and face paintings that honor deceased loved ones.

However, some people dress in traditional Mexican attire during Día de los Muertos celebrations. These garments could include embroidered dresses (such as the dress called traje de Tehuana), colorful skirts or shirts with intricate patterns. Men may wear charro suits, which consist of decorated jackets, pants and sombreros.

Some people incorporate sugar skull face painting or wear masks that represent calacas (skeletons) or catrinas/catrines, the elegantly dressed skeletal figures associated with Día de los Muertos.

Day of the Dead costume meanings

La Catrina is an iconic symbol associated with Día de los Muertos. La Catrina was created by the Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century as a satirical illustration depicting a skeleton dressed in fashionable attire to mock the upper class of that time. Over the years, La Catrina has been embraced as a symbol of Mexican culture and has come to represent the idea that death is an inherent part of life and should be celebrated.

During Día de los Muertos, it is common to see people wearing La Catrina-inspired costumes or paint their faces to resemble the skeletal features of La Catrina. Some people don elaborate dresses or suits reminiscent of the elegant fashion associated with the character. Flower crowns, shawls or hats complete the look.

Wearing a La Catrina costume or incorporating elements of La Catrina into one's attire is a way to pay homage to the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos.

What is the meaning behind sugar skulls?

Sugar skulls are an integral part of the ofrendas created during Día de los Muertos. They serve as decorative offerings and are placed on the altars or given as gifts to friends and family. The skulls are often personalized with the names of the deceased.
Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter. Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram.

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What is Day of the Dead? Ultimate guide to traditions, dates and what goes on an altar

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Here's everything to know about Day of the Dead, including why it's celebrated, the significance of sugar skulls and what the costume mean.

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What do sugar skulls, marigolds and monarch butterflies have in common? Just like pumpkins, witches and black cats are quintessential symbols of Halloween, these objects are associated with a different holiday: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

We have rounded up five things you should know about this holiday:

Dance group Los Tecuanes perform the "La Danza de los Tecuanes" at a festival celebrating Día de los Muertos at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Latino Center)

1. It's not the same as Halloween

While Halloween is celebrated Oct. 31, Día de los Muertos is celebrated right after, on Nov. 2. Many communities that celebrate Día de los Muertos also celebrate Halloween.

2. It originated in Mexico and Central America

Día de los Muertos originated in ancient Mesoamerica (Mexico and northern Central America) where indigenous groups, including Aztec, Maya and Toltec, had specific times when they commemorated their loved ones who had passed away. Certain months were dedicated to remembering the departed, based on whether the deceased was an adult or a child.

After the arrival of the Spanish, this ritual of commemorating the dead was intertwined with two Spanish holidays: All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Soul's Day (Nov. 2). Día de los Muertos is often celebrated on Nov. 1 as a day to remember children who have passed away, and on Nov. 2 to honor adults.

Today, Día de los Muertos is celebrated mostly in Mexico and some parts of Central and South America. Recently it has become increasingly popular among Latino communities abroad, including in the United States.

Sugar skulls, monarch butterflies, marigolds and traditional paper banners (papel picado) are all symbols of the Día de los Muertos. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Latino Center)

3. It's a celebration of life, not death

Ancient Mesoamericans believed that death was part of the journey of life. Rather than death ending life, they believed that new life came from death. This cycle is often associated with the cyclical nature of agriculture, whereby crops grow from the ground where the last crop lies buried.

Día de los Muertos is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of departed loved ones. Like any other celebration, Día de los Muertos is filled with music and dancing. Some popular dances include La Danza de los Viejitos-the dance of the little old men-in which boys and young men dress as old men, walk around crouched over then suddenly jump up in an energetic dance. Another dance is La Danza de los Tecuanes-the dance of the jaguars-that depicts farm workers hunting a jaguar.

The ofrenda, or altar, is composed of mementos, photographs and objects of loved ones who have died and is intended to honor and remember their lives. This is an installation by artist Amalia Mesa-Bains, titled "An Ofrenda for Dolores del Rio" © 1991, Amalia Mesa-Bains. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum)

4. The ofrenda is a central component

The is often the most recognized symbol of Día de los Muertos. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them what they need on their journey. They place down pictures of the deceased, along with items that belonged to them and objects that serve as a reminder of their lives.

Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Papel picado, or traditional paper banners, represent the wind. Earth is represented by food, especially bread. Candles are often left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions, so the spirits can find their way.

Traditional calaveras, or skulls, which are prominent on Día de los Muertos. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Latino Center)

5. Flowers, butterflies and skulls are typically used as symbols

The cempasúchil, a type of marigold flower native to Mexico, is often placed on ofrendas and around graves. With their strong scent and vibrant color the petals are used to make a path that leads the spirits from the cemetery to their families' homes.

Monarch butterflies play a role in Día de los Muertos because they are believed to hold the spirits of the departed. This belief stems from the fact that the first monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter each fall on Nov. 1, which coincides with Día de los Muertos.

Calaveritas de azucar, or sugar skulls, along with toys, are left on the altars for children who have passed. The skull is used not as morbid symbol but rather as a whimsical reminder of the cyclicality of life, which is why they are brightly decorated.

Learn more about Día de los Muertos, visit the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino.

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Five facts about Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead)

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What do sugar skulls, marigolds, and monarch butterflies have in common?

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What is Day of the Dead? | National Geographic