Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos is celebrated all over the world. It’s a two day celebration from November 1st-2nd, and is about honoring loved ones that have passed. People recognize it in many ways.

Some people celebrate by cleaning and decorating their family members’ grave stones with candles and flowers. Other ways of celebrating include setting up ofrendas. Deysi, a student at Cesar Chavez Middle school, said, “We usually put a table down, cover it in orange and put a picture of my grandpa and grandma with food.” A big part of  Día de los Muertos is food. For example, Deysi said, “Usually on our tables we put their favorite foods like tamales, posole, or conchas.” Since mostly Hispanic Culture celebrates Dia de los Muertos, the most common type of food for Dia de los Muertos is Hispanic food like tamales.

Graves are decorated differently based on whether they were children and adults when they passed. Children get decorated with white orchids while adults’ graves are decorated with orange orchids. The way Dia de los Muertos is explained is that the dead awaken from their eternal slumber to become a vibrant part of the community. Deysi said, “We remember our loved ones with their pictures right there so they can cross over.” These are the parts she likes the most.

Dia de los Muertos is said to be a bittersweet celebration, though it usually maintains a happy atmosphere. Additionally, family members recall departed loved ones, sharing humorous and endearing stories around graves or ofrendas. Living family members celebrate with objects and activities their family enjoyed.