authentic dia de los muertos decorations

Authentic dia de los muertos decorations how to#
Authentic dia de los muertos decorations professional#
Authentic dia de los muertos decorations windows#

Learn about the history of Día de los Muertos celebrations. It is also a pure, playful celebration of artistic expression. The tone of this traditional Mexican holiday is one of remembrance and love.

And that's what Dia de Los Muertos is all about.Rather than focusing on spooky tricks and treats as we do on Halloween, Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos is about honoring our dearly departed in a positive light. Toasting to the lives of the departed may entice them to come back to Earth-but it's definitely a way to remember them. After all, Day of the Dead celebrations can be customized to what resonates with you. In her city of Oaxaca, Seker says, residents pour mezcal in ofrendas, but she's going to raise a glass of bourbon for her ancestors. Raise a glass to those who came before you.Ĭonnect with the spirits by having a few.spirits. 'The warmth of the cacao is symbolic of us opening hearts as we connect with the earth and all those who were before us,' Luciano says, adding that the drink honors her family's Mayan ancestors, too. She and her daughters will add cinnamon to the traditional Mayan beverage to symbolize love and abundance, and vanilla for sweetness. Luciano adds sweetness to the holiday by making cacao, a hot, chocolatey drink made with cacao paste (though she says a steaming cup of hot chocolate works, too). Drink cacao, or hot chocolate.įor all its joyous celebrations, Dia de Los Muertos can be a bittersweet occasion. “We will make this as a family as we listen to Vicente Fernandez and other classics,” she says. This year, she will pay tribute to her family by cooking up some capirotada, a kind of Mexican bread pudding that's one of her mom’s and grandma’s favorite desserts. I also invite them to share stories about my mom,” Luciano says. “I use this time to share stories with my daughters about what it was like growing up with their great-grandparents. Life coach Arhinna Luciano passes down tales of family members to her children to keep their memory alive. Carolin Voelker // Getty Images Pass down family stories. Calaveras are placed on ofrendas and are eaten as a holiday treat.Īdorned graves on the Day of the Dead in Mexico. 'Since they are part of your lineage, it’s safe to say that they will enjoy the same foods as you.'įor dessert, set out some calaveras, which are skulls made out of sugar. “If you are unsure about what your ancestors like to eat, you can prepare what you like,” Cardenas says. What better way to feel connected than through a special meal, which also features some of the holiday's quintessential foods?ĭuring their Dia de Los Muertos dinners, most families leave an empty place setting for the departed and cook their favorite foods. Remember, Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of life and the connections that bind us.

Authentic dia de los muertos decorations windows#

Luna recommends opening up windows and burning copal resin, said to guide the spirits home to their families.

One way to invite your spirits in? Cleanse and prepare your home for their visits. Cleanse the energy of your home.ĭuring Day of the Dead, the border that separates the land of the living and the land of the dead is believed to be thinner than usual. He plans to set out tequila and cigarettes, two of her favorite things, on his altar in her honor.

Authentic dia de los muertos decorations how to#

Mama Lola, Cardenas’s grandmother, taught him how to read tarot cards and supported him in his journey into becoming a magical practitioner.

Authentic dia de los muertos decorations professional#

Michael Cardenas, a professional witch and owner of Olde Ways, will be honoring his grandmother this holiday. Then, I place marigold flowers, sweets like pan dulce, skeleton figures, and water to honor the people in my life who are no longer living,' Luna says. “I set up a large altar with my grandmother’s picture, as well as my grandfather’s, stepdad’s, and people who’ve passed away. Luna has enacted the same Day of the Dead ritual since childhood. Nicknamed 'flowers of the dead' for its prominent place in the holiday celebration, the cempasuchil flower (or Mexican marigold) is said to attract spirits with its sweet scent and bright hue. Typically, ofrendas are decorated with photos, chalices, colorful paper cutouts ( papel picado), bottles of liquor, candles, water, the deceased’s favorite food, and-most recognizably-marigold flowers.