Day of Dead Celebration Mexico is a two day holiday. On this day people in Mexico honour and remember their deceased loved one’s.
People with Mexican heritage celebrate this day all around the world. Mostly, people around the Central and South regions of Mexico celebrate this festival.
People give offerings to their dead friends and family members in this two day holiday.
It is a festival where people gather and pray for the dead one’s in their friends and family.
People with Mexican descent also celebrate it wherever they are.
Rather than being a somber one, this is a happy vacation for them.
The mexican people believe that their dead family members awake and celebrate with them.
Moreover, this day is an example of how we can be happy even after losing our loved one’s.
The day of the dead is also listed by UNESCO in their Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
What do they do on this day?
Mexican people remember the dead people on this day.
They share and offer a meal with the dead people as if they were alive.
They believe the spirit of the dead will visit them once a year on this day.
Similarly, they offer marigolds to the dead. This is one of the most important components in this day.
Perhaps because marigold is believed to be pathways to guide the dead people into heaven.
Is it the same as Halloween?
The day of the dead celebration shouldn’t be related with Halloween.
Although these might seem similar but it is not. Halloween is celebrated to ward off ghosts.
Whereas, in the day of the dead people honor the dead.
So, even though it started with a similar belief in afterlife, it is not the same.
Food and Drinks
During this day, the Mexican people offer food to the spirit of the dead one’s.
Normally, they eat Tamales, which is a modern-mexican dish on this day.
Similarly, they eat Pan de muerto and calaveras decorated with special designs to represent the personality of the dead.
Along with these food, another important thing is alcohol. Historically, the most common alcoholic drink was pulque.
But these days, they consume the favorite drink of the deceased dead one’s.
Likewise they also drink Jamaican Iced Tea made out of Hibiscus sabdariffa.
When is “The Day of the Dead” Celebrated?
The day of the dead at Mexico used to be celebrated prior to summer before the Spanish colonization.
However, now it is celebrated between October 31st to November 3rd.
On November 1st
The celebration starts on the November 1st at 12AM. On this day, they decorate their altar with toys, flowers, favorite snacks, toys and photographs to encourage the dead to pay them a visit.
Normally, they write the names of their deceased ones on a sugar skull.
On November 2nd morning
The following night on midnight, they celebrate to honour the dead one’s.
This is a night filled with joy and laughter. They also play games and drink while sharing the memories of the deceased.
On November 2nd noon
The next day at around noon, the finale of the celebration starts.
These days people dress up as skeletons and parade on the street. They also visit the cemeteries and clean the grave stones.
They also decorate the graves with marigold and sugar skull with their names on it.
Where is it Celebrated?
Mexico isn’t the only place where they celebrate the day of the dead.
People all over the world celebrate the similar occasion with different names and rituals.
Apart from Mexico, it is celebrated by people with Mexican heritage at several places. For instance:
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Belize as Hanal Pixan by Yucatec Maya ethnicity.
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Bolivia as Día de las Ñatitas.
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Brazil as Finados (Day of the Dead).
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Guatemala as Day of the Dead.
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Ecuador as Day of the Dead by Kichwa people.
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In Peru.
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Europe in Prague, Czech Republic.
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Day of the dead Celebration, U.S.
Day of the dead 2019
The day of the dead 2019 starts at the midnight of October 31st 2019 and ends on November 2nd.
This year people will celebrate the day as every year.
There will be parades across California and San Francisco in the USA.
