Day of the Dead: The Unique Mexican Holiday
Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos or Día de Los Muertos) is the quintessential Mexican holiday that reunites the living with the dead and the departed. It is primarily a family tradition observed for thousands of years, with its roots dating back to the ancient Aztec culture.
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In Aztec culture, death was believed to be transitory, and the souls of the departed ones could come to visit the living.
Although the basic premise of the festival remains the same, its nature has altered since the arrival of the Spanish settlers in the 16th century. Nowadays, many see the Day of the Dead celebration as a curious blend of Mexican mysticism and Catholic traditions.
Of late, the holiday has also become well-known worldwide, and tourists from all over the world flock to many Mexican cities and towns at the time of the holiday to witness this centuries-old colorful tradition from close quarters.
Royal Holiday Vacation Club can help you and your family travel to see this wonderful tradition yourself.
How Is the Day of the Dead Celebrated?
Royal Holiday Vacation Club is a Mexico-based company that loves helping others celebrate the Day of the Dead.
Families create altars or ofrendas (lit. offerings) inside the homes for their dear departed ones. Ofrendas are created for relatives who have passed away relatively recently and for family ancestors.
The photographs of the departed are placed squarely at the center of the altars, then filled with candles, a glass of water, ashes, or dirt placed on a small decorative bowl, and elaborately designed tissue papers.
These four items are believed to represent the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. Other staple items that find their way into the ofrenda include favorite drinks and foods of the dead person being honored, Calaveras or skulls (typically made of sugar, chocolate, etc.) as well as the Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead), a variation of the traditional Mexican pastry.
The whole idea of preparing the ofrenda stems from the belief that during the Day of the Dead, the departed loved ones will make their journey back to the earth and share a meal with their family members just as they did when they were alive.
Although different catholic traditions have found their way into the celebration, the central idea of this unique holiday remains the same: exchanging mourning for celebration.
This idea is amply reflected in the ubiquitous skulls…