Origins
Long before the Spanish arrived, the Aztecs celebrated their version of what we now call Día de los Muertos—this spiritual holiday honored Mictēcacihuātl, the Lady of the Dead and Queen of Mictlān, the underworld. She was believed to guard the bones of past lives, which the Aztecs saw as the seeds for new life in the land of the living. Once a year, Mictēcacihuātl would rise to the world of the living to ensure those bones were respected. In her honor, the Aztecs would hold grand celebrations filled with dancing, food, and rituals to thank her for protecting the cycle of life and death. When the Spanish conquistadors invaded and brought Catholicism, they forced Indigenous people to convert. But when they saw the Aztec traditions of celebrating death, they blended it with their Catholic holidays, like All Saints Day and All Souls Day. In Spain, these holidays were marked by decorating graves, offering food, and lighting candles to guide the souls of the dead back to their families. This fusion of two worlds slowly evolved into what we now recognize as Día de los Muertos. In today's celebration, Mictēcacihuātl has been replaced by a new figure, La Catrina, the iconic skeleton woman with a European-style hat. This image was created by Mexican cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada, who used it to criticize those who rejected their Indigenous roots to appear more European. He believed that death was the great equalizer; no matter who we are in life, we all end up as skeletons in the end. The holiday has become a powerful celebration of life, death, and the eternal bond between the two.
When is it celebrated?
Día de los Muertos is celebrated on November 1 and 2, each day honoring loved ones who have passed away. November 1 is dedicated to children's memory and is called Día de los Inocentes or Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Innocents or Day of the Little Angels). On this day, families create special ofrendas (altars) and decorate graves with toys, sweets, and things that bring joy to the children's lives. It's a way to cherish their innocence and keep their memory alive. November 2, Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead or Day of the Deceased), is for honoring adults who have passed. Families visit cemeteries to clean and beautifully decorate the graves of their ancestors and loved ones. They create elaborate ofrendas at home, offering food, drinks, flowers, and cherished items to welcome the spirits back and show them they are never forgotten.
How is it celebrated?
During modern Day of the Dead celebrations, people wear skull masks or paint their faces like skeletons. Families gather at the gravesites of their loved ones, build beautiful ofrendas (altars) to invite their spirits back and share big meals together with dishes made just for the occasion. It’s a profoundly spiritual time filled with love, memory, and a connection beyond life and death.
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