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Tú presentacion y Dia de Los Muertos me ha fascinado porque quiero vestirse como esqueleto por Dia de Los Muertos.

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Mexico City: 23 Things To Do For An Unbelievable Vacation

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Read Culture Trip's guide to the top tourist attractions in Mexico City, to find out what not to miss in this historic and culturally important city.

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the parades didnt start till after the film specter and the chase scene in the beggining of the movie

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it started some 3,00 years ago when the Pre-columbiums worshiped their dead people

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The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.

A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from October 31-November 2. While October 31 is Halloween, November 1-2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

Origins of Day of the Dead

The roots of the Day of the Dead, celebrated in contemporary Mexico and among those of Mexican heritage in the United States and around the world, go back some 3,000 years, to the rituals honoring the dead in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Aztecs and other Nahua people living in what is now central Mexico held a cyclical view of the universe, and saw death as an integral, ever-present part of life.

Upon dying, a person was believed to travel to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. Only after getting through nine challenging levels, a journey of several years, could the person's soul finally reach Mictlán, the final resting place. In Nahua rituals honoring the dead, traditionally held in August, family members provided food, water and tools to aid the deceased in this difficult journey. This inspired the contemporary Day of the Dead practice in which people leave food or other offerings on their loved ones' graves, or set them out on makeshift altars called ofrendasin their homes.

Day of the Dead vs. All Souls Day

In ancient Europe, pagan celebrations of the dead also took place in the fall, and consisted of bonfires, dancing and feasting. Some of these customs survived even after the rise of the Roman Catholic Church, which (unofficially) adopted them into their celebrations of two Catholic holidays, All Saints Day and All Souls Day, celebrated on the first two days of November.

In medieval Spain, people would bring bring wine and pan de ánimas (spirit bread) to the graves of their loved ones on All Souls Day; they would also cover graves with flowers and light candles to illuminate the dead souls' way back to their homes on Earth. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadores brought such traditions with them to the New World, along with a darker view of death influenced by the devastation of the bubonic plague.

How Is the Day of the Dead Celebrated?

El Día de los Muertos is not, as is commonly thought, a Mexican version of Halloween, though the two holidays do share some traditions, including costumes and parades. On the Day of the Dead, it's believed that the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolves. During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance and play music with their loved ones. In turn, the living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations, and leave the deceased's favorite foods and other offerings at gravesites or on the ofrendas built in their homes. Ofrendas can be decorated with candles, bright marigolds called cempasuchil and red cock's combs alongside food like stacks of tortillas and fruit.

The most prominent symbols related to the Day of the Dead are calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (skulls). In the early 20th century, the printer and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada incorporated skeletal figures in his art mocking politicians and commenting on revolutionary politics. His most well-known work, La Calavera Catrina, or Elegant Skull, features a female skeleton adorned with makeup and dressed in fancy clothes. The 1910 etching was intended as a statement about Mexicans adopting European fashions over their own heritage and traditions. La Calavera Catrina was then adopted as one of the most recognizable Day of the Dead icons.

During contemporary Day of the Dead festivities, people commonly wear skull masks and eat sugar candy molded into the shape of skulls. The pan de ánimas of All Souls Day rituals in Spain is reflected in pan de muerto, the traditional sweet baked good of Day of the Dead celebrations today. Other food and drink associated with the holiday, but consumed year-round as well, include spicy dark chocolate and the corn-based drink called atole. You can wish someone a happy Day of the Dead by saying, "Feliz día de los Muertos."

Movies Featuring Day of the Dead

Traditionally, the Day of the Dead was celebrated largely in the more rural, indigenous areas of Mexico, but starting in the 1980s it began spreading into the cities. UNESCO reflected growing awareness of the holiday in 2008, when it added Mexico's "Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead" to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In recent years, the tradition has developed even more due to its visibility in pop culture and its growing popularity in the United States, where more than 36 million people identified as being of partial or full Mexican ancestry as of 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Inspired by the 2015 James Bond movie Spectre, which featured a large Day of the Dead parade, Mexico City held its first-ever parade for the holiday in 2016. In 2017, a number of major U.S. cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Fort Lauderdale, held Day of the Dead parades. That November, Disney and Pixar released the blockbuster animated hit Coco, a $175 million homage to the Mexican tradition in which a young boy is transported to the Land of the Dead and meets up with his long-lost ancestors.

Though the particular customs and scale of Day of the Dead celebrations continue to evolve, the heart of the holiday has remained the same over thousands of years. It's an occasion for remembering and celebrating those who have passed on from this world, while at the same time portraying death in a more positive light, as a natural part of the human experience.

Sources

Día de los Muertos: A Brief History, National Hispanic Cultural Center
Giardina, Carolyn, "'Coco': How Pixar Brought its 'Day of the Dead' Story to Life," Hollywood Reporter, December 12, 2017
Dobrin, Isabel, "Día de los Muertos Comes to Life Across the Mexican Diaspora," NPR, November 2, 2017
Scott, Chris. "Day of the Dead parade - Life imitates art," CNN, October 28, 2016
Mictlantecuhtli, Ancient History Encyclopedia

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

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Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) - Origins, Celebrations, Parade

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On the Mexican holiday known as the Day of the Dead, families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.

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For as long as I can remember I've been drawn to the holiday of Day of the Dead in Mexico (Día de los Muertos) even if I never really understood the entire meaning behind it. It's so colorful, so beautiful, and so... enchanting-yes, enchanting is a good word. I always wanted to know more but, like, who has time to dedicate to solving all of life's mysteries? (How do magnets work? What does anything the meteorologist says mean? Why are yawns contagious? Will somebody please tell me where babies come from!?) We'd never get the dishes washed or the cat's hairballs cleaned up. Well, screw the dishes-Ashley needs to know what is up with all the yellow flowers and why everyone's hanging out in cemeteries. I'm going to Mexico!

So while I still have no freaking clue how magnets work or what a low pressure system is, I can now help you with celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico. Forget Wikipedia, sometimes you have to go straight to taco-laden the source.

But while your intimidation comes from an honest place, don't let that hold you back from experiencing this amazingly beautiful and meaningful holiday. From what I've learned and experienced personally, the local communities are quite welcoming to curious outsiders. Even if you've visited Mexico before, doing so during the month of October (and first part of November) is an entirely new experience, so here are some tips for experiencing your very first Day of the Dead in Mexico.

DO LEARN WHAT DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS IS AND ISN'T

Well, for starters, Día de los Muertos is Day of the Dead-in case that wasn't clear.
What Day of the Dead in Mexico is:

Day of the Dead in Mexico revolves around the creation of an ofrenda in the home-an altar set up for remembering lost loved ones. It's covered in marigolds (the official flower sponsor of Day of the Dead celebrations) and sugar skulls, candles, tissue paper banners called papel picado, some of your loved ones' favorite food and drink items, and, most importantly, photos of the deceased. We're not letting just any ol' spirits in here to eat all our food offerings!

Annual holiday celebrated in Mexico and some surrounding regions

Takes place from late October 31st through November 2nd - Yes, it should be called Days of the Dead, but that's an argument for another día.

Centers around remembering and honoring your loved ones who have passed

Emphasizes a positive relationship with death - I mean, we're all going to die at some point; I feel like being on death's good side is just a wise choice.

It is believed that during this couple of days, your loved ones come back to visit, hang out, and drink the tequila you left them because being a boozehound doesn't stop when your pulse does. It's called being "the afterlife of the party", duh. During this time, family members honor their lost loved ones by cleaning up their gravesites, playing music, and telling their favorite stories. (Some things you hope will just die with you but, nope, your family members forget nothing! Least of all that time between birth and age 8 when you were inexplicably terrified of Band-Aids.) What Day of the Dead in Mexico is not:

Just because Day of the Dead in Mexico takes place around the same time as Halloween doesn't mean there's remotely any connection to it. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite. The anti-Halloween, if you will. (Besides, Day of the Dead used to take place in the summer until the Christians showed up with their plans for efficiency and combined holidays because dead people feature in each. Come on, guys. Pay attention.)

Halloween

"Mexican" Halloween

A scary occasion

A spectacle put on for tourists' benefit

Where Halloween is a "holiday" marked by scary costumes, horror movies, bats, spiders, zombies, chainsaw murderers, scary twins, hockey masks, and cackling witches, Day of the Dead is the opposite. Not only is it not Halloween, it's also not the "Mexican version" of Halloween. Instead, it's a joyous holiday bursting with bright colors, flowers, delicious foods, funny stories and getting to spend time with your loved ones who have passed-in the most un-creepy way possible, promise. It's not scary; it's not spooky; it won't give you nightmares until you turn age... nope, still terrified. Why, oh why, did I ever watch The Shining? What am I saying? I'm still scared sh*tless from episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark I watched about a gazillion years ago.

Though Day of the Dead in Mexico is one of the most stunningly gorgeous occasions you'll ever witness, it is in no way a spectacle put on for anyone's benefit. Día de los Muertos is, at its roots, a deeply personal holiday and, though communities and households will invite you in without question, it's not to be treated as a tourist attraction. This is the real deal, not a Disney cruise. (Although, since the release of Coco, I could be wrong about that?) So don't just gawk and take pictures for likes; get in there-learn what it's all about, get involved, be a part of it.

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT WATCHING THE MOVIE COCO

To take you back to your high school roots, maybe just skip to watching the movie? You did it for Great Expectations, and you can do it here too.

The Disney Pixar film Coco that came out late 2017 is all about Day of the Dead in Mexico and is a phenomenal movie in general. It won a Golden Globe and a couple of Oscars (ho-hum), features an all-Latinx cast, and is probably the best introduction to Day of the Dead in Mexico you'll find anywhere. Learn all you need to know in just an hour and forty-five minutes and all in an easy-to-absorb fashion because it's a kids movie, amigos. Nothing too complex here. There are songs, adorable sidekicks, and Frida is there-it's a hoot.

This movie came out right after I returned from Mexico but now you have the advantage of watching it before your trip-which I highly recommend. It's currently on Netflix but you can also pick it up here.

DO EAT PAN DE MUERTO

And by "eat pan de muerto" I mean: devour boat-loads of the stuff. And then eat some more.

Pan de Muerto (yes, death bread 🤘🏻) is a fluffy sweet bread traditionally consumed during Day of the Dead season but that doesn't mean you won't crave it every day of the year for the rest of your life. Its deliciousness is its curse. It's a round-ish shaped bun with dough across the top meant to resemble bones. The light, fluffy bread is simple and sweet, sometimes with a slight orange or lemon flavor, and covered in sugar (as all the best foods are, no?). It's eaten in the days leading up to Día de los Muertos and is also typically found on ofrendas, its "bones" representing the deceased.

You can find pan de muerto all over when spending Day of the Dead in Mexico-at local bakeries and cafés, in the markets, being shoved by the fistful into my own mouth, etc. Each is as unique as the person who baked it and I most definitely have a favorite. I tried pan de muerto from a number of places while visiting Mexico and the best I had, BY FAR, was at Malande, a small café in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City. GO HERE.

What started out as a tradition of children going out to gather food and sugar skulls (calaveritas) for the Día de los Muertos offerings has morphed into something a lil this and lil that. They're supposed to sing a song but I was too busy feeling guilty that I didn't bring a bag of fun-sized Kit Kats to Mexico with me to even notice if there was a song or not. I think the children mainly visit businesses and storefronts but I was asked for candy in other random, truly horrifying places-through the open window of my Uber in the middle of an intersection at a red light, for instance.

Dressing up for Day of the Dead in Mexico is a cinch and a blast. You probably have most of the stuff in your closet already (hanging up, on the floor, wherever) and what you don't won't set you back more than a few bucks. To get involved in a local celebration, when appropriate, is so much more fun and meaningful than being a mere spectator. Everything you need to know about how to dress for Day of the Dead for both women and men (what to wear, the significance behind your image, a simple DIY project, etc.) can all be found here ⇣⇣⇣

DON'T BE DISRESPECTFUL

It's important to know that Day of the Dead in Mexico is a personal and intimate celebration and should be treated as so. Dressing accordingly and joining in the festivities is a great way to experience another culture's holiday, but there are a couple of huge no-nos:

I somehow knew this was going to be a chore so I brought my own wash cloth from home to do the job "gentle facial cleanser" just can't. Getting your face painted is a big part of your Day of the Dead image but you'll need to scrub it off later and this is no job for your fancy-schmancy makeup remover wipes. ESPECIALLY if there's glitter involved. *jazz hands* And please, please, please, don't use your hotel's towels-that's just rude. Bring something from home you're fine with tossing in the trash afterwards or whose original color prefers to remain a mystery.

DO CHECK OUT ALL THE FESTIVITIES IN MEXICO CITY IF YOU'RE THERE

Don't wear a costume. As I explain in this post, the easiest way to offend and stand out as an ignorant tourist is to wear a "costume" based on the related event/culture. Put together your own look and skip the all-in-one, plastic bag deals from the party store. You'd be less offensive wearing the actual plastic bag.

Don't be a hoochie. I get it-you wanna look good on Insta. 🙄 But don't you realize looking respectful and tuned-in is the new sexy?

Don't be scary. Day 👏🏼 Of 👏🏼 The 👏🏼 Dead 👏🏼 Is 👏🏼 Not 👏🏼 Halloween 👏🏼. Paint your face like a skull, yes. Don't paint your face like a blood-thirsty vampire or a brain-hungry zombie or anything else that will keep me awake at night cursing my friend's mother for ever letting us watch Friday the 13th. Día de los Muertos is a happy time when it's believed that our loved ones come back to hang out with us-even if it's your drunken Aunt Sally who knows nothing of personal space, it's still seen as a joyous occasion. To associate Day of the Dead in Mexico at all with Halloween is just plain insulting.

For starters, there's now a massive Day of the Dead parade, à la James Bond's . A parade of such magnitude as seen in the movie did not previously exist but was fabricated solely for the movie. So OF COURSE tourists started flocking to CDMX to see this spectacle and were pissed when they realized it didn't exist. (However, not pissed at their own lack of research, astoundingly.) Because of this, Mexican authorities have since started putting on a huge Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City a few days before the actual holiday. The dates and times of the parade are not set in stone, so do adequate research before heading to CDMX-the parade could take place as early as a week or so before official Día de los Muertos.

Another popular event is La Catrina Fest-a festival of Mexican art, traditions, cuisine, and cultural pride to promote cultural tourism. This festival looks AMAZING and I'm definitely timing my next trip to coincide with it. Check out their website and Facebook page here for details.

Elaborate celebrations aside, Mexico City is still a great place to check out some smaller neighborhoods' displays and festivities. Coyoacán (where Casa Azul is located) is a popular area but my personal favorite is the neighborhood of San Angel, just south of the city. San Angel is home to some great markets, large public Day of the Dead displays, a Saturday bazaar, delicious food stalls, and a fabulous little museum that charges admission unless you are clearly a non-native Spanish speaker and it would be easier to just wave you on through.

Also while in Mexico City, eat pan de muerto at Malande. Is it ingrained in your memory yet? And if you like tours, there's even a Day of the Dead tour in Mexico City that features a nighttime ride through the canals of Xochimilco.

Personally, I left Mexico City and took a bus down to Oaxaca City and had an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone. Actually, that's what I'm doing here. That's what blogs are for. Get it together Ashley. Oaxaca is believed to be a great Day of the Dead experience for first-timers as its residents are considerably welcoming to visitors, the city is accessible, and there is plenty to see and do and keep you busy. As far as tours go, there's:
Day of the Dead in Mexico is really the small town's poster child but there are still ways to experience it if you can't get out of Mexico City.
Mixquic | A small town that's technically part of Mexico City (CDMX is the world's 7 th largest city by the way, so there's a lot of parts to it, technically). While Mixquic is not that far out of CDMX, traffic during Día de los Muertos can be a nightmare to navigate on your own (CDMX is known to have the world's #1 worst traffic congestion by the way). A friend of mine took this Day of the Dead day trip to Mixquic and LOVED it. There's also this 5-day tour of Mexico City that includes Day of the Dead in Mixquic (and Casa Azul).

Aguascalientes | Aguascalientes is about 5 hours north of Mexico City and is the birthplace of Jose Guadalupe Posada, the artist credited with the creation of the first image of La Calavera Catrina. Their Festival de las Calaveras (Festival of Skulls) and related parade are the highlights of their Day of the Dead celebrations.

Michoacan | Specifically, the island of Janitzio in Lake Patzcuaro. Four and half hours west of Mexico City is this gorgeous small town on an island and the perfect setting for Día de los Muertos festivities. This island is (from what the internet tells me) easily reached by boat and even the lake itself lights up at night. It sounds magical and straight out of a Disney Pixar movie, if I'm being honest.

DON'T GET DRUNK AND STUPID

Another thing Day of the Dead in Mexico is not: the autumnal version of Cinco de Drinko. While we Americans have adapted other culture's landmark celebrations as our own misguided drinking holidays-Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day, for instance-Día de los Muertos is not one of those things.

The spirit of Aunt Sally can have all the tequila she wants (or, at least as much as you put out for her on your ofrenda) but stay mindful that no one wants to see you hammered in their cemetery.

DO PRETEND INSTAGRAM ISN'T EVEN A THING

At the core of everything you do regarding celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico, remember what the holiday is about: respectful remembrance of lost loved ones. Families visit cemeteries to pay respects and invite strangers into their homes to observe their ofrendas. Posing for Instagram photos at gravesites, despite how stunningly gorgeous they may be, is grotesquely inappropriate and disrespectful.

When experiencing Day of the Dead in Mexico for the first time, concentrate on really feeling out what the holiday is, observe how local's celebrate, and take it all in. It's about their family members who have passed on, not your follower count.
Other popular cities for experiencing Day of the Dead in Mexico for the first time are:
Taking photos is almost always totally fine but remember to be as respectful as possible. Ask before taking pictures of people and inside homes, don't. touch. anything., and be smart about taking photos with yourself in them. Using someone's ofrenda or grave as your backdrop is so grossly misguided I just can't even. Personally, I follow the photography mantra of: "when in doubt, don't". Well, that and: "figure out what the hell to do with this photo in post-editing".

DO SIMPLY WANDER THROUGH TOWN
And for when you need to get around Mexico ⇣⇣⇣
If you're wondering "what to do for Day of the Dead in Mexico" you may have trouble finding the solid answer you're looking for. There's rarely a set agenda as it's more of just an overall experience. My advice: pick a town and simply wander through it.

In a small town, it won't be difficult to find where the action is. Follow the crowds, the fireworks, the noise, the candles, even the giant mojigangas know where it's going down.

WHERE TO STAY FOR DAY OF THE DEAD IN OAXACA

Hit up the local markets | Shop for food and clothing items, pick up an alebrije, buy some papel picado to take home for a unique souvenir. Papel Picado is the thin, colorful tissue paper banners you'll see hanging everywhere. They're displayed to represent the fragility of life so, good luck getting them home!

Visit the cemeteries | The experience is purely ethereal.

Stroll the streets and check out the decorations | Chances are you'll be invited into a home. "Invited" being the key word. Don't be just walking up into people's houses now.

Join in a comparsa | Comparsas are a Oaxacan tradition-an informal procession through town of vehicles, people in costumes, drummers, bands, dancing, etc. Maybe even an actual dead person? Read on.

Check out the mojigangas in Oaxaca | Okay, I know I said Day of the Dead in Mexico wasn't supposed to be scary, so maybe it's just me getting freaked out by these giant puppets. Mojigangas are giant paper maché puppets, if you will, that people walk around town. (See the horrifying example below.)

Get your face painted by local artists | More on that here.

Listen to music performances on the street | It gets loud.

Check out all the Catrinas | Dressing up is cool, see I told you.

Eat all the goodies! Pan de muerto, elotes (street corn), chapulines (fried chile lime grasshoppers), try some mezcal or pulque (drinks that no explanation will do justice to)

I had such an amazing time experiencing Day of the Dead in Oaxaca. The trip was exhausting (6-hour overnight bus ride there, then 7-hour bus ride back the next morning) but it was more than worth it. Obviously, spend more time in whichever town you visit if you've got it. There's so much more I'd like to see (and, let's be real, eat) in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca, I feel, was the perfect place to spend my first Day of the Dead experience. It was easy to get to, easy to navigate, the food and hospitality was unforgettable, and the festivities were incredibly fun and interesting and not at all nightmare-inducing. While in Oaxaca I stayed at the Hotel Anua and I'd stay there again, no question.

Hotel Anua Oaxaca:
Read more reviews on Tripadvisor or go ahead and book your room now!
PROS:

Perfect location near the zócalo

Quiet, comfortable rooms

Affordable, even on the most popular night of the year, even without booking way in advance

Friendly staff

Adorbs

CONS:
Was legit trapped. If you're leaving before the hotel opens, make sure to give them a heads up. Our bus was at 6:00 am and we discovered as we tried to leave that we were locked in the hotel. Right before I was to jump out a window, my husband talked me down and I was able to get in contact with a very sleepy someone.

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Do This, Not That // Day of the Dead in Mexico for First-Timers

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For as long as I can remember I've been drawn to the holiday of Day of the Dead in Mexico (Día de los Muertos) even if I never really understood the entire meaning behind it. It's so colorful, so beautiful, and so... enchanting-yes, enchanting is a good word.

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The 13 Best Things to Do When You Visit Mexico City

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Ranking of the top 13 things to do in Mexico City. Travelers favorites include # 1 Museo Nacional de Antropología, #2 Palacio de Bellas Artes and more.

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The Top 10 Things to Do in Mexico City with Kids - Family Friendly Activities in Mexico City, Mexico | TripAdvisor

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Fun Things to Do in Mexico City with Kids: Family-friendly activities and fun things to do. See TripAdvisor's 94,104 traveler reviews and photos of kid friendly Mexico City attractions

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Traveling with kids can be difficult at the best of times, but in Mexico City - the massive metropolis with millions of inhabitants - it can be even harder. However, even though things can be logistically trickier, there are still a ton of fun things to keep the little ones entertained on your next visit to the Mexican capital. Here are our top eleven.

Planetario Luis Enrique Erro

If the sea doesn't float your kids' boat, then maybe the sky will? At Planetario Luis Enrique Erro they can get an insight into the solar system and star constellations at one of the regularly scheduled sky shows. Alternatively, head to the planetarium's 400-seat theatre and watch an immersive and informative projection. While you may have to go to the northern Mexico City neighborhood of Zacatenco for this option, it's worth the traveling time.
Planetario Luis Enrique Erro, Av. Wilfrido Massieu s/n, Gustavo A. Madero, Zacatenco, Nueva Industrial Vallejo, Ciudad de México, México, +52 55 5729 6000

Parque Bicentenario

Moving away from museum environments, an outdoorsy option for those of you traveling with kids is Parque Bicentenario. Although you can't take your pets in (if you're also traveling with them, that is), kids are 100% allowed. Let them loose on the football pitches, play areas or even the botanical garden. As an added bonus, this park is completely free and definitely more lively at the weekends.
Parque Bicentenario, Av. 5 de Mayo No. 290, Miguel Hidalgo, San Lorenzo Tlaltenango, Ciudad de México, México, +52 55 5628 0600

Museo Interactivo de Economía

Museo Interactivo de Economía

The economy doesn't sound like the most interesting of topics for a museum, especially one to which you're planning to take your children. However, the Museo Interactivo de Economía, known colloquially as MIDE, is an exception to the rule. It uses interactive exhibits to help your kids learn more about the economy and the financial world in an immersive and fun way. You never know, you might even learn something too.
Museo Interactivo de Economía, Calle de Tacuba 17, Cuauhtémoc, Centro Histórico, Centro, Ciudad de México, México, +52 55 5130 4600

Universum

Run by the leading university in Mexico, UNAM, Universum is a science and technology museum that opened in 1992. Nowadays, it has thirteen separate halls replete with different exhibits that will intrigue even the most scientifically sceptical of children. With themes like recycling, health, the universe and even sexuality, all bases really are covered here.
Universum, Circuito Cultural de Ciudad Universitaria S/N, Coyoacán, Cd. Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México, +52 55 5622 7260

La Pista, San Jerónimo

For something a little more active, why not take your children to an ice skating rink? Even if they're skating experts or total beginners, they'll be able to give it a go during the public opening hours. Check the website for more details about when exactly these are closer to the time of your visit, and keep this option in mind in case you're heading to Mexico City during rainy season. It can make a great back up activity.
La Pista, Av. Contreras 300, La Magdalena Contreras, San Jerónimo Lídice, Ciudad de México, México, +52 55 5683 6767

Tío Pepe Granja Didáctica

For a hands-on farm experience, Tío Pepe Granja Didáctica is a great shout. If your kids are animal lovers, or even if they're on the fence about whether they prefer pigs or bacon, Tío Pepe's Granja (or farm) is the perfect destination. They can interact directly with docile animals who are used to human contact, and even feed them. From pigs to donkeys, horses to cows, there are even smaller, domestic animals that they can hold and pet.
Tío Pepe Granja Didáctica, Camino Viejo a Mixcoac 3615, Álvaro Obregón, San Bartolo Ameyalco, Ciudad de México, México, +52 55 5810 1025

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The 11 Best Things To Do With Kids In Mexico City

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Traveling with kids can be difficult at the best of times, but in Mexico City - the massive metropolis with millions of inhabitants - it can be even harder. However, even though things can be logistically trickier, there are still a ton of fun things to keep the little ones entertained on your next visit to the Mexican capital.

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Day of the dead (Mexico City) - 2019 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - TripAdvisor

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Hotels with Complimentary Breakfast in Mexico City

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Day of the Dead is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul's & All Saint's Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.

They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children ( angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.

In most Indian villages, beautiful altars () are made in each home. They are decorated with candles, buckets of flowers (wild marigolds called cempasuchil & bright red cock's combs) mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of turkey mole, stacks of tortillas and big Day of the Dead breads called pan de muerto. The altar needs to have lots of food, bottles of soda, hot cocoa and water for the weary spirits. Toys and candies are left for the angelitos, and on Nov. 2, cigarettes and shots of mezcal are offered to the adult spirits. Little folk art skeletons and sugar skulls, purchased at open-air markets, provide the final touches.

Day of the Dead is a very expensive holiday for these self-sufficient, rural based, indigenous families. Many spend over two month's income to honor their dead relatives. They believe that happy spirits will provide protection, good luck and wisdom to their families. Ofrenda building keeps the family close.

On the afternoon of Nov. 2, the festivities are taken to the cemetery. People clean tombs, play cards, listen to the village band and reminisce about their loved ones. Tradition keeps the village close. Day of the Dead is becoming very popular in the U.S. ~ perhaps because we don't have a way to celebrate and honor our dead, or maybe it's because of our fascination with it's mysticism.

Day of the Dead - The Catholic & Pagan World

Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Mexico and the Catholic world... Italy, Spain, South America and the Philippines all celebrate All Souls and All Saints Day on November 1st and 2nd. Special Masses and perhaps cleaning of the cemetery tombs are part of the traditional activities... it's only in Central and Southern Mexico where the colorful parties take place in the cemeteries and elaborate ofrenda altars are built in the homes to honor specific family members who have passed on.

Day of the Dead Celebrations are Diverse

In Mexico, the colorful, much anticipated, Day of the Dead celebrations are generally celebrated in the states from Mexico City south. This includes Michoacan, Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Chiapas and the Yucatan. Northern Mexico, with its less indigenous and more European roots, spend the day scrubbing graves and going to Mass... not having music, drinks and parties in the cemeteries.

Folks in parts of Italy, Spain, Central & South America and the Philippines all celebrate All Souls and All Saints Day on November 1st and 2nd. Special Masses and perhaps cleaning of the cemetery tombs are part of the traditional activities...

These molded sugar coffins are actually toys to delight the returning spirits of children on November 1. Pull the string and a smiling calavera skeleton pops out of his coffin!

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Creators of the ***original*** Sugar Skull Mold

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History of Day of the Dead & the Mexican Sugar Skull Tradition

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Day of the Dead is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul's & All Saint's Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.

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some of the favorite food of day of the dead is calaveras de sugar (sugar skulls)  and tamales are a very good of dinner a very weird one is a  Jalapeño and cactus tomale

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Día de los Muertos is celebrated across Mexico with skulls, skeletons, and graveside visits-but what does this beloved holiday really represent?

Hector Colin brings marigolds to decorate the graveyard in Carpinteros, Mexico, for Day of the Dead. Celebrated each year on November 1 and 2, the holiday uses a blend of pre-Columbian and Spanish traditions to honor deceased family members.

Photograph by Jaime Rojo, National Geographic

Here's one thing we know: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not a Mexican version of Halloween.

Though related, the two annual events differ greatly in traditions and tone. While Halloween embraces terror and mischief on the last night of October, Day of the Dead festivities unfold over the first two days of November in an explosion of color and life-affirming joy. Sure, the theme is death, but the point is to demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members. In towns and cities throughout Mexico, revelers don funky makeup and costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance, and make offerings to lost loved ones.

The rituals are rife with symbolic meaning. The more you understand about this feast for the senses, the more you will appreciate it. Here are 10 essential things you should know about Mexico's most vibrant annual event.

Day of the Dead originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and other Nahua people, who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. For these pre-Hispanic cultures, death was a natural phase in life's long continuum. The dead were still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit-and during Día de los Muertos, they temporarily returned to Earth.

(Here are the best hotels to stay in to experience the Day of the Dead.)

Today's Día de los Muertos celebration is a mash-up of pre-Hispanic religious rites and Christian feasts. It takes place on November 1 and 2-All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on the Catholic calendar-around the time of the fall corn harvest.

2. It has been recognized by UNESCO.

Cultural heritage is not just monuments and collections of objects. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says that cultural heritage also includes living expressions of culture-traditions-passed down from generation to generation.

In 2008, UNESCO recognized the importance of Día de los Muertos by adding the holiday to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Today Mexicans from all religious and ethnic backgrounds celebrate the holiday. But at its core, Day of the Dead is a reaffirmation of Indigenous life.

3. Altars are an important tradition...

The centerpiece of the celebration is an altar, or ofrenda, built in private homes and cemeteries. These aren't altars for worshipping; rather, they're meant to welcome spirits back to the realm of the living. As such, they're loaded with offerings-water to quench thirst after the long journey, food, family photos, and a candle for each dead relative. If one of the spirits is a child, you might find small toys on the altar.

Marigolds are the main flowers used to decorate the altar. Scattered from altar to gravesite, the golden petals guide wandering souls back to their place of rest. The smoke from copal incense, made from tree resin, transmits praise and prayers and purifies the area around the altar.

(Here's how marigolds became iconic symbols of the Day of the Dead.)

4. ...and so are literary calaveras...

Calavera means "skull." But during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, calavera was used to describe short, humorous poems, which were often sarcastic tombstone epitaphs published in newspapers that poked fun at the living. These literary calaveras eventually became a popular part of Día de los Muertos celebrations. Today the practice is alive and well. You'll find these clever, biting poems in print, read aloud, and broadcast on television and radio programs.

5. ...especially the calavera Catrina.

In the early 20th century, Mexican political cartoonist and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada created an etching to accompany a literary calavera. Posada dressed his personification of death in fancy French garb and called it Calavera Garbancera, intending it as social commentary on Mexican society's emulation of European sophistication. " Todos somos calaveras," a quote attributed to Posada, means "we are all skeletons." Underneath our human-made trappings, we are all the same.

In 1947 artist Diego Rivera featured Posada's stylized skeleton in his masterpiece mural "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park." Posada's skeletal bust was dressed in a large feminine hat, and Rivera made his female and named her Catrina, slang for "the rich." Today, the calavera Catrina, or elegant skull, is the Day of the Dead's most ubiquitous symbol. (Learn more about the dark history of the holiday's immortal icon.)

6. Families bring food to the dead.

You work up a mighty hunger and thirst traveling from the spirit world back to the realm of the living. At least that's the traditional belief in Mexico. Some families place their dead loved one's favorite meal on the altar. Other common offerings:

Pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, is a typical sweet bread (pan dulce), often featuring anise seeds and decorated with bones and skulls made from dough. The bones might be arranged in a circle, as in the circle of life. Tiny dough teardrops symbolize sorrow.

(Read more about pan de muerto.)

Sugar skulls are part of a sugar art tradition brought by 17th-century Italian missionaries. Pressed in molds and decorated with crystalline colors, they come in all sizes and levels of complexity.

Drinks to celebrate the holiday include pulque, a sweet fermented beverage made from the agave sap; atole, a thin warm porridge made from corn flour, with unrefined cane sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla added; and hot chocolate.

7. People dress in costumes.

Day of the Dead is an extremely social holiday that spills into streets and public squares at all hours of the day and night. Dressing up as skeletons is part of the fun. People of all ages have their faces artfully painted to resemble skulls, and, mimicking the calavera Catrina, they don suits and fancy dresses. Many revelers wear shells or other noisemakers to amp up the excitement-and also possibly to rouse the dead and keep them close during the festivities.

8. Streets are decorated in papel picado.

You've probably seen this beautiful Mexican paper craft plenty of times in Mexican restaurants. The literal translation, pierced paper, perfectly describes how it's made. Artisans stack colored tissue paper in dozens of layers, then perforate the layers with hammer and chisel points. Papel picado isn't used exclusively during Day of the Dead, but it plays an important role in the holiday. Draped around altars and in the streets, the art represents the wind and the fragility of life.

(These Mexican paper crafts bring the party during Day of the Dead.)

9. Mexico City hosts an iconic parade.

Día de los Muertos is more popular than ever-in Mexico and, increasingly, abroad. For more than a dozen years, the New York-based nonprofit cultural organization Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders has staged the city's largest Day of the Dead celebration.

But the most authentic celebrations take place in Mexico. If you find yourself in Mexico City the weekend before Day of the Dead this year, make sure to stop by the grand parade where you can join in on live music, bike rides and other activities in celebration throughout the city.

10. Other communities celebrate in unique ways.

Countless communities in Mexico celebrate Day of the Dead, but styles and customs differ by area, depending on the region's predominant pre-Hispanic culture. Here are a few places that stand out for their colorful, moving celebrations:

Pátzcuaro: One of the most poignant Day of the Dead celebrations takes place each year in Pátzcuaro, a municipality in the state of Michoacán about 225 miles west of Mexico City. Indigenous people from the countryside converge on the shores of Pátzcuaro Lake, where they pile into canoes, a single candle burning in each bow, and paddle over to a tiny island called Janitzio for an all-night vigil in the cemetery.

Mixquic: In this Mexico City suburb, bells from the historic Augustinian convent toll and community members bearing candles and flowers proceed to the local cemetery, where they clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones.

Tuxtepec: This small city in the northeastern part of Oaxaca state is best known for its sawdust rugs. For days, locals painstakingly arrange colored sawdust, flower petals, rice, pine needles, and other organic materials in elaborate, ruglike patterns on city streets. Traditionally made for important processions, Tuxtepec's sawdust rugs are judged in a contest held during Día de los Muertos.

Aguascalientes: Located roughly 140 miles north of Guadalajara, Aguascalientes-birthplace of engraver José Guadalupe Posada-stretches its Day of the Dead celebrations to nearly a week during its Festival de Calaveras (Festival of Skulls). The event culminates in a grand parade of skulls along Avenida Madero.

Editor's note: This story was originally published on October 26, 2017. It has been updated.

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Top 10 things to know about the Day of the Dead

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Día de los Muertos is celebrated across Mexico with skulls, skeletons, and graveside visits-but what does this beloved holiday really represent?

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go to the parade
go to the zocalo, which has shrines
visit cemeteries
also there is a parade that is going on

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day of the dead is when we celebrate the dead.day of the dead was around even before the some people believe that on October 31 is when their spirits come back to life and they leave on November 2.

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Day of the Dead in Mexico City is an exciting time to visit. It's nothing like I was expecting and it's certainly nothing like Halloween, that's for sure! Day of the Dead is a fascinating experience and while it's celebrated differently around the country, you're sure to get a better understanding of it with a trip to Mexico City.

What is Day of the Dead?

Day of the Dead, or Dia de Muertos, is a celebration of the lives of those that have passed. Dia de Muertos has been a day of remembrance since before the arrival of the Spanish. In fact, before Spanish colonization, Dia de Muertos was celebrated in the summertime.

It wasn't until the Spanish had to figure out how to make this holiday a little more, well, Christian, that it was moved to the same dates as what many people know to be All Souls Day - November 1st.

Originally, the holiday was only really celebrated in central and southern Mexico. The indigenous people from the northern part of Mexico had different celebrations and customs.

Some people believe that the spirits of the departed visit on October 31st and leave again on November 2nd.

Now the holiday has taken on a slightly more commercial form, especially here in Mexico City. If you want to experience Day of the Dead the way the more indigenous people still celebrate it, you'll have to head to areas around Oaxaca or Chiapas.

La Catrina

If you've ever seen pictures of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico, you may be familiar with the image of a female skeleton wearing a big hat. The Catrina represents the "Lady of the Dead," which was the goddess that the pre-Colombian people worshipped waaay back when these celebrations first began.

Two Days of Celebrations?

There are two main days which are part of Day of the Dead - so technically, it's kind of Days of the Dead. November 1st is referred to as Día de los Inocentes, or the Day of the Innocents. This is when people honor children and infants that have passed away. November 2nd is Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos. This is when people acknowledge the lives of adults that have passed away.

What to Do on Day of the Dead in Mexico City

There are a few things that you can do during these few days in Mexico City. The first is to experience the parade. You may have seen in the James Bond film, Spectre, where Bond runs through a Day of the Dead parade at the start of the movie. Up until that movie came out, no parade for this day actually existed in Mexico City.

The city decided that as a way to bring more tourism to the downtown area, they would start having a parade. So in 2016, Mexico City had the first official Day of the Dead parade. Word is that this will continue to be an annual event and you can look for it along Paseo de la Reforma on the last Saturday of October.

It's a pretty cool experience and locals and tourists alike line the sidewalks from the Angel of Independence monument all the way to the Zocalo to catch a glimpse of the brightly colored floats and the beautifully costumed dancers. It's not terribly authentic, but it's still a nice parade.

Another thing you can do on Day of the Dead in Mexico City is to head to the Zocalo. The main square is packed with traditional shrines made with the holiday's signature bright yellow marigolds. There's a stage where different Mexican bands play everything from Mariachi music to classic Mexican Banda. Things really get going here at night when people dress up in different scary costumes a-la Halloween style and do their best to scare the crap out of you.

I also recommend spending some time in more local neighborhoods like Coyoacan or Mixquic. Here you'll be able to see how locals spend their time. Just be sure to be respectful and remember that people may be drinking and having a blast, but this is a family and close friends sort of holiday. People are still commemorating the lives of those they have lost.

Things to Be Aware of

Many people simply celebrate Day of the Dead at home behind closed doors where they have built or bought their own shrines to commemorate their loved ones. However, if you are looking for the most public place for celebrations, you'll find those at local cemeteries, not in the streets of Mexico City.

The city is incredibly crowded on the nights of Dia de Muertos. People want to see what the city has put on, just like you do. Have patience, look out for your belongings, and just be prepared to wait as you walk down Madero to the Zocalo.

Try to avoid taxis or driving in general during these days. The traffic in Mexico City is never good, but it is especially bad over this period. You'll likely just be sitting in traffic most of the day.

If you do decide to go to a cemetery, I recommend that you don't go alone. It's a holiday that includes a fair amount of alcohol and just like any major city, you never know what to expect. That being said - it's a pretty merry time and visiting the cemeteries during this time is a very interesting experience.

Where to Stay

If you want to experience downtown Mexico City during the Day of the Dead, then staying in the city is the best option. My favorite boutique B&B in the center is definitely Chaya B&B. It's located right next to Alameda Park and the Palace of Fine Arts and is within walking distance of the Zocalo. I wrote a full review of Chaya B&B here.

Book your stay at Chaya B&B here.

I also recommend checking out Airbnb. There are tons of places in the historic center at a reasonable price and it means you can also self-cater since you'll have a kitchen. I've put together a whole list of the best Airbnb places that I've found in Mexico City here.

If you've waited a little bit too long to book or you prefer bigger chain hotels, the Hilton Reforma is a great historic center option as is the Marriott and the Sheraton which are both located along the parade route on Paseo de la Reforma.

Of course, you don't have to stay in the Centro Historico to enjoy all of the parties that take place during the Day of the Dead. If you want to enjoy all that the city has to offer, you can stay in Roma or Condesa - two of my favorite neighborhoods for restaurants and bars.

My absolute favorite boutique hotel in Roma is La Palomilla. Their rooms are gorgeous and it doesn't get better than their rooftop area where you can chill with a book or a beer (or both). Read my full review of La Palomilla here.

For a great spot to stay in Condesa, check out Condesa Haus. It's a cool converted mansion with amazing art deco touches and seriously stunning tiles. You can read my full review of Condesa Haus here.

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Day of the Dead in Mexico City: What You Should Know | Eternal Expat

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Day of the Dead in Mexico City is an exciting time to visit. It's nothing like I was expecting and it's certainly nothing like Halloween, that's for sure! Day of the Dead is a fascinating experience and while it's celebrated differently around the country, you're sure to get a better understanding of it with a trip to Mexico City.

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October31-november 2