They will also clean the gravestone and decorate it with marigolds, a sugar skull with the departed's name and gifts. In larger cities like Mexico City, there are also parades and public ofrendas.
The history of Día de los Muertos has roots as far back as the Spanish arrival. When the Spaniards came to Mexico, they introduced Catholicism to the community. This, mixed with an Aztec festival celebrating the goddess of the dead Mictecacihuatl, is more or less the origin story of this holiday. It's important to remember that Día de los Muertos is not Halloween, although some people during Día de los Muertos will paint their faces with calavera, or skull, makeup. It's also important to remember there isn't any grieving or crying during this holiday, as the main focus is to remember, honor and celebrate the departed loved ones and keep their memories alive.
Día de los Muertos has a huge emphasis on the marigolds that help guide spirits back to their families. In Mexico, Puebla is the state that grows the most flowers. Planting begins in June or July with harvesting in October. In 2021, it was estimated that 19,400 tons of flowers were harvested! That's almost as much as 100 blue whales. The flower has gotten more expensive year over year because of droughts.
