Remember the word mestizo? We could call this holiday a mestizo, a mixture of different cultures. It combines Catholic beliefs that the Spanish brought to Mexico with indigenous beliefs and practices from long before the Spanish arrived.
- Día de Muertos is celebrated on the same days as the Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls' Day (November 2nd).
- Altares: To celebrate, people set up altares (altars) to honor family members and friends who are no longer with us. The altars are often very elaborate and colorful. They feature photos of the deceased along with many beautiful and colorful flowers and decorations. The most common flower used is the cempasúchil (marigold). This bright orange flower is believed to light the path of the dead loved ones to come home. People also put the favorite foods and sweets of their loved ones on the altar and they light candles around it.
- Pan de Muerto is a delicious sweetbread eaten during October and November, leading up to Día de Muertos. The dough is sweet and flavored with orange, then topped with sugar and baked. Some versions have a filling of fruit jam. Others are colored black with ceniza (ash). It is delicious to eat with coffee, tea, or Mexican chocolate. Pan de Muerto is perhaps my favorite part of this holiday!
- Alebrijes are often seen in the decorations for Día de Muertos. These are colorful, mystical creatures that are believed to scare away evil spirits.
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