Maybe you have heard something about this Mexican tradition, maybe you haven't, well it doesn't matter because I'm going to tell you something about this day.
In Mexico we celebrate through Oct 31st, Nov 1 & 2, in Oct 31st we honor children, in Nov 1st we honor adults, while in Nov 2nd it's All Souls day or Fieles Difuntos. For this we put altares or ofrendas in our houses or in the cemetery, they include a picture of the deceased one, some of their favorite dishes, pan de muerto that represents the deceased, candles, marigolds (cempasuchitl) which symbolize the connection established between the real world and the one beyond, sugar and chocolate skulls (calaveras de azúcar), some papel picado and water. With this we are receiving and inviting our relatives that have died to visit and join us with the food they preferred, the flowers are to attract them, the light of the candles show them the place where the ofrenda is set, and sometimes there's set a cempasuchitl path to the ofrenda from the outside of the house to show the deceased ones the way in and so they don't get lost.
Here is a picture of a simple altar that I made at home for my deceased relatives.
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| Ofrenda de Día de Muertos |
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| Pan de Muerto & Calaverita de azúcar |
Being Mexican with this traditions is a great honor, I actually love this tradition more than any other else, it's very special to me, and living here and get to see all the different ways people celebrate around the country it’s just awesome, one example is the Xantolo in the Huasteca Hidalguense, all the colors, the feeling of happiness...it’s a wonderful sensation. I invite you to witness this wonderful celebration.
What do you think of this tradition; would you receive the deceased like this? Have you ever witnessed it?
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