Many people tend to associate Día de Los Muertos with the spooky festivities of Halloween. While both annual events occur around the same time of the year and deal with ornate decorations, death and skulls, the two are vastly different in many other ways. Once you learn the Día de Los Muertos history and traditions, you’ll have a deep appreciation of the Mexican holiday.
*Día de Los Muertos history
What is Día de Los Muertos?
How to honor Día de Los Muertos in a culturally sensitive way — virtually and in person
How can adults and kids honor Día de Los Muertos in a culturally sensitive way — virtually and in person — if you don’t identify as Mexican?
“Day of the Dead is about celebrating your deceased loved ones,” Judith Bautista, an artist who specializes in sugar skull face-painting, told Refinery29. “This is a topic that can be relatable to anybody. It’s not about being exclusive. Those who wish to partake just have to do so with respect and knowledge.”
1. Support Latinx businesses so you’re giving back to that community. If you want to buy a sugar skull for your home, be sure to do your research and go to a Latinx artisan. Or you can get takeout from a family-owned Mexican restaurant.
2. Honor your own loved ones. Make an altar adorned with their favorite foods and photographs. Take the day to celebrate your own deceased loved ones by gathering with others to share stories and favorite memories of the person. For a COVID-friendly gathering, make it outside and socially distance — or consider a virtual Zoom get-together.
3. Bake your own pan de meurto. For a COVID-safe activity, grab the kids and try your hand at baking the sweet yeast bread at home in your kitchen.
4. Attend a virtual Día de Los Muertos event. Look up to see what celebrations are happening in your city and their COVID precautions.
5. Watch movies and read to learn about Latin culture, such as the movie Coco. Learn about the history of Spanish colonization in Mexico and how that influenced the indigenous people and the culture we see today. Use the event as a chance to learn and engage with Mexican history and culture.
