Los Días de los Muertos. Los Días de los Muertos Los Días de los Muertos What is it? What is it? Los Días de los Muertos, the Days of the Dead, is a.

Los Días de los Los Días de los MuertosMuertos

Los Días de los MuertosLos Días de los Muertos What is it?What is it?

Los DLos Díías de los Muertos, the Days of the Dead, is a as de los Muertos, the Days of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican holiday that honors and traditional Mexican holiday that honors and remembers loved ones who have passed away. Los remembers loved ones who have passed away. Los Días de los Muertos is not a sad time, but instead a Días de los Muertos is not a sad time, but instead a time of remembering, reflecting, and rejoicing. time of remembering, reflecting, and rejoicing.

When is it?When is it? It is celebrated every year on It is celebrated every year on November 1November 1stst and and

22ndnd.. Preparations can begin 1-2 weeks before the Preparations can begin 1-2 weeks before the Christian holy days of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Christian holy days of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1st and 2nd). Nov. 1 is for Day (November 1st and 2nd). Nov. 1 is for remembering the children, and Nov. 2 is for remembering the children, and Nov. 2 is for remembering the adults.remembering the adults.

Traditions: OfrendasTraditions: Ofrendas Families arrange Families arrange ofrendas ofrendas

or “altars” in their homes to or “altars” in their homes to remember their loved ones remember their loved ones who have passed away. In who have passed away. In the late afternoon, special the late afternoon, special all-night burning candles all-night burning candles are lit in their honor and to are lit in their honor and to help the spirits find their help the spirits find their way back home.way back home.

OfrendasOfrendas usually include:usually include: A photo of the one A photo of the one

being remembered being remembered Items they were fond of Items they were fond of Food (Food (tamales, mole tamales, mole

poblano, frutaspoblano, frutas), ), pan de pan de muertomuerto, and drink , and drink (agua)(agua)

Candles (Candles (velasvelas)) Flowers (Flowers (cempasúchilcempasúchil) ) Papel picado (Papel picado (tissue tissue

paper decorations)paper decorations)

Traditions: Papel PicadoTraditions: Papel Picado Papel PicadoPapel Picado is a traditional is a traditional

art used to decorate homes, art used to decorate homes, businesses, markets, and altars businesses, markets, and altars in preparation for the Days of in preparation for the Days of the Dead. the Dead.

The thin tissue paper images of The thin tissue paper images of the dead mimicking life are the dead mimicking life are usually cut in large quantities usually cut in large quantities and hung in repetitious and hung in repetitious patterns. patterns.

The The papel picadopapel picado pictured pictured here is based on here is based on La CatrinaLa Catrina, a , a famous etching by the famous famous etching by the famous artist artist JosJoséé Guadalupe Guadalupe PosadaPosada..

Traditions: FoodTraditions: Food Pan de Muertos y chocolatePan de Muertos y chocolate

Special loaves of bread are baked for this holiday, called Special loaves of bread are baked for this holiday, called pan de pan de muertosmuertos. . TheyThey decorated with knobs (to represent skulls), bones, decorated with knobs (to represent skulls), bones, or faces. They are usually sprinkled with sugar or sesame seeds.or faces. They are usually sprinkled with sugar or sesame seeds.

It is also tradition to drink It is also tradition to drink chocolate chocolate (Mexican hot chocolate) with (Mexican hot chocolate) with the bread. This is made from disks of cinnamon-infused the bread. This is made from disks of cinnamon-infused bittersweet chocolate being melted then frothed with a bittersweet chocolate being melted then frothed with a molinillomolinillo (wooden whisk) in hot milk..(wooden whisk) in hot milk..

Traditions: SkeletonsTraditions: Skeletons Skeletons (Skeletons (esqueletosesqueletos) and skulls () and skulls (calaverascalaveras) )

are found everywhere such as chocolate and are found everywhere such as chocolate and sugar skulls (sugar skulls (calaveras de azcalaveras de azúcarúcar), marzipan ), marzipan and sugar coffins, and white chocolate skeletons.and sugar coffins, and white chocolate skeletons.

More Skeletons: CalacasMore Skeletons: CalacasHandmade skeleton figurines, called Handmade skeleton figurines, called calacascalacas, , are used to decorate graves and are used to decorate graves and ofrendasofrendas..

CalacasCalacas usually show an active and joyful usually show an active and joyful afterlife. afterlife. There are figures of musicians, people There are figures of musicians, people playing sports, generals on horseback, even playing sports, generals on horseback, even skeleton brides and grooms.skeleton brides and grooms.

Traditions: FlowersTraditions: Flowers During los Días de los Muertos the yellow-During los Días de los Muertos the yellow-

orange marigold or orange marigold or CempasúchilCempasúchil (the flower of (the flower of the dead) is used to decorate the graves and the dead) is used to decorate the graves and ofrendaofrendas. s.

Once cleaned and repaired, the grave sites Once cleaned and repaired, the grave sites ((tumbastumbas) are adorned with flowers, skeleton ) are adorned with flowers, skeleton figurines (figurines (calacascalacas), and candles (), and candles (velasvelas). ). Copal,Copal, a type of incense, is also lit to help the a type of incense, is also lit to help the spirits find their way back to earth.spirits find their way back to earth.

Traditions: Cemetery Traditions: Cemetery VigilVigil

Families spend the evening in the candlelit Families spend the evening in the candlelit cemeteries with their loved ones. cemeteries with their loved ones.

Children play games.Children play games. Families sing and tell stories of their loved ones’ Families sing and tell stories of their loved ones’

lives.lives.

Links for extra studyLinks for extra study

Día de los Muertos: For Teachers and Día de los Muertos: For Teachers and StudentsStudents http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/teachehttp://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/teache

rs/rs/

Common misconceptions about the Common misconceptions about the Day of the DeadDay of the Dead http://www.inside-mexico.com/noes.htmhttp://www.inside-mexico.com/noes.htm

History, Traditions, and SignificanceHistory, Traditions, and Significance http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/dead.htmhttp://www.nacnet.org/assunta/dead.htm