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    • When is it and what does it mean?
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    When is it and what does it mean?

    Vaseline Posted on

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    Day of the Dead, the Mexican festival honoring the memory of the deceased, has arrived.

    Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, is often incorrectly referred to as the “Mexican Halloween” due to the year in which it is celebrated and the use of skeletons. The holiday has its roots in southern Mexico and honors the memory of deceased family members, friends and even pets.

    La Casita Center, a Latino nonprofit in Louisville, will hold a Day of the Dead celebration Saturday from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 445 E. Market St. The free event will have music, altars and food.

    Here’s what you need to know about Day of the Dead:

    When is Day of the Dead 2024?

    This year the holiday falls on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2.

    What is the Day of the Dead?

    The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday. It is believed that during the two days the ghosts return home and spend time with their relatives.

    The Day of the Dead is mainly celebrated in Mexico and Central America and has made its way to several cities in the US

    Do you say “Happy Dia de los Muertos?” Day of the Dead greetings

    Despite its cheerful appearance, Dia de los Muertos is a somber holiday honoring those who have passed away. That’s why it’s considered a faux pas to wish someone “Feliz Dia de los Muertos” or “Happy Day of the Dead,” according to a blog post by Loco Gringo.

    Similarities and differences between Halloween and Dia de los Muertos

    Both holidays are within days of each other, but they are not the same.

    While both can be considered “spooky,” Halloween is all about darkness, death, ghosts, witches, candy, and costumes. On the other hand, Day of the Dead is explicitly about the afterlife and commemoration.

    Day of the Dead traditions

    Food, flowers and altars are necessary parts of the celebration. To honor the deceased, foods such as sugar skulls, sweetbread rolls and drinks are arranged on ofrendas (house altars), along with clay ornaments and sentimental objects.

    Whether at the cemetery itself or at a table at home, relatives believe their loved ones will feast on the ‘essence’ of their offered treats.

    Houses and streets are decorated with paper and flower garlands. Bright orange marigold flowers, commonly known as ‘flowers of the dead’, are believed to attract the souls of lovers to ofrendas through their scent.

    Here are some of the ofrendas used and why:

    • Burning candles: Candles help give ofrendas a festive glow.
    • Photos of deceased loved ones: Used to customize and commemorate lost loved ones.
    • Marigold flowers: Flowers are placed on walkways to help the deceased find their way to their loved ones.
    • Memories of the deceased: Personal items, such as playing cards, a watch or glasses, or other souvenirs that belonged to the deceased.
    • Burning incense: Matter is symbolically transformed into the spiritual. Mesoamerican cultures use copal, a sacred incense, for important occasions and ceremonies.
    • Small sugar skulls: These small sweets are enjoyed during the festivities. They represent the sweetness of life.
    • Mezcal or water: Bottles of mezcal or Atole, a traditional corn-based hot drink, are offered to the deceased to help them on their long journey to the land of the dead.
    • Bread of the Dead: To represent our own mortality and bones, the bread has four stripes on it, creating a cross.

    Why are skeletons used in Day of the Dead?

    Skeletons are the most iconic representations of the Day of the Dead. Nowadays people dress up in ornate costumes with skull faces. A playful representation of life after death is a skeleton.

    One of the many well-known images of the Day of the Dead, La Calavera Catrina, which translates to “elegant skull,” first appeared in 1910 as a skeletal figure wearing an elaborate outfit.

    In Mexico, satirical artist Jose Guadalupe Posada was the first to draw her figure. It was intended as a mocking reminder to those aspiring to social and political prominence that all humans are essentially just a bundle of bones.

    Alebrijes: Even the dead need a spiritual guide

    Pedro Linares, an artist from Mexico City, introduced the celebration in 1936 to colorful, mythical creatures known as Alebrijes. With exaggerated bodies with stripes and dots, they are considered creatures from our dreams and the realm of the dead. They are usually made of paper mache or wood.

    Sacred animals in indigenous culture:

    • Butterfly: Considered the symbol of rebirth and transformation for people.
    • Xoloitzcuintli dog: These dogs are said to guide ancestral spirits to their final resting place in the afterlife.
    • Lizard: This spirit animal represents rebirth, regeneration and the ability to adapt to any environment.

    Vaseline
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