Observed on November 1st and 2nd, this holiday celebrates and honors the lives of the deceased and welcomes them to the new stage in their lives that commences upon death.
First video - easiest ingredients Second video - more ingredients
Create a special time and space to remember and honor the loved ones by offering them an ofrenda, the fragrance of the flowers, the light of the candles,
the aroma of special foods and the solemnity of prayers.
It is also a time to joke and make fun of death through "calaveras",
poetry allusive to a particular person, generally politicians; sugar,
chocolate and amaranth skulls which are given to one another with their friend’s name
so "they can eat their own death"
and special crafts allusive to different aspects of the living,
with skeletons representing daily activities.
People start getting ready for the celebration on the third week of October
with the harvesting of the cempasuchitl flower,
also known as the flower of the twenty petals.
On the altar they will place the ofrendas of fruits,
vegetables and the special dishes prepared for the soul to enjoy the essence of the aroma of the food.
This altar will also have items that once belonged to the deceased.
On November 2nd, the souls of the adults are honored
in their homes with beautifully decorated altars.
Each state has different styles
but all of them represent a place where the ofrenda becomes a spiritual communion between life
and death.
Again, in each state the making of the altar and the rituals are different.
Day of the Dead is a time of reflection about the meaning of life
and the mission that one needs to fulfill.
During the celebration of Day of the Dead
all feelings and beliefs come together
in a season that brings to life the memory of the loved ones.
