After all the candy, scary-silly costumes, and pumpkin carving that takes over the month of October comes another holiday that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as Halloween: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
While Day of the Dead often tends to be aligned with Halloween here in the US (we’re all familiar with the colorful sugar skulls imagery promoted alongside the spooky decorations in stores), this holiday actually has nothing to do with the October 31st celebration. Día de los Muertos is a traditional Mexican holiday where families honor their loved ones who have passed away and pray for their continued spiritual journey.
The concept of death is often scary and confusing for kids to process. Learning more about the Day of the Dead — that it is meant to be a joyful celebration of life and acknowledgement of loved ones who are no longer here, can help take away some of the fear and uncertainty about this inevitable part of life.
Interesting facts about Día de los Muertos
You may already know a bit about Day of the Dead if you’ve seen Disney/Pixar’s Coco, which explains the traditions and their significance with gorgeous visuals and catchy songs, but here are some more fun facts about this special day:
- Día de los Muertos is celebrated over the course of two days, and always falls on November 1 and 2.
- The origins of the holiday go back hundreds of years when the native Mexican people held an annual celebration to celebrate their deceased loved ones. They believed their dead relatives came back once a year to visit with them.
- Day of the Dead is connected to the religious Catholic holidays All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, which also fall on November 1 and 2.
- The ofrenda, or altar, is a central element of the holiday. An altar is erected in the home to honor a dead relative, and is decorated with photos, flowers and other meaningful items to provide them with what they need for their journey to eternal rest.
- Flowers, butterflies and skulls are common symbols used to represent the traditional themes of the holiday. Marigolds in particular are a common bloom as it’s thought that their scent helps to guide the souls of the dead back to the land of the living.
Respectful ways to celebrate and learn more about Día de los Muertos
Whether your family has Mexican heritage or not, here are some ways you can honor or simply learn more about the holiday together.
Honor a loved one who has passed on. The ofrenda is an important part of Mexican culture. You can respectfully acknowledge this tradition along with your deceased loved one by bringing a special item (flowers in their favorite color or a photo of a food or activity they enjoyed) to their grave at the cemetery.
Bake pan de muerto. If you and your child enjoy baking together, try whipping up a pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead.” This sweet bread is a popular and traditional delicacy enjoyed during Day of the Dead celebrations throughout Mexico.
Watch a Día de los Muertos-themed movie. Coco isn’t the only must-watch — The Book of Life and The Big Wish are lesser-known movies that do a great job of explaining the cultural traditions and origins of the holiday in a kid-friendly way. And for little ones with shorter attention spans, this animated film from Film School Shorts is a colorful introduction:
Start a discussion about commercialization of holidays (with older kids): Mattel recently came out with collectible Día de los Muertos Barbie and Ken dolls. Show them a photo of the dolls, or ask kids if they’ve noticed sugar skulls and other Day of the Dead imagery becoming more commercialized, and ask what they think. What are the pros and cons of having more attention on the holiday from big box stores and the media?