Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated November 1st and 2nd to honor deceased loved ones. Families create ofrendas or altars with photos and items representing the dead and light candles to guide spirits home. Traditional foods include pan de muertos bread and calaveras, or sugar skulls. Flowers, especially marigolds and orchids, decorate graves and homes along with papel picado cut paper decorations and skeleton figures celebrating life after death.

1. Día de los Muertos

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 What is it?
 Los Dias de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexico
holiday honoring the dead. Los Dias de los Muertos is not a sad time, but
instead a time of remembering and rejoicing.
 When is it?
 It is celebrated every year at the same time as Halloween and the
Christian holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day (November 1st
and 2nd).
 Where is it celebrated?
 It is celebrated in Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, and other areas in
Central and South America populated with the Latino ethnic background.
The Day of the Dead is also celebrated in areas of the United States, such
as California, Texas, and many others, in which the Mexican/American
heritage exists.

3. Traditions- Altars
 In the homes families arrange
ofrenda's or "altars" with
flowers, bread, fruit and candy.
Pictures of the deceased family
members are added. In the late
afternoon special all night
burning candles are lit - it is
time to remember the departed -
the old ones, their parents and
grandparents.
 Altars should include:
 A picture of the one being
remembered
 Items they were fond of
 Something to snack on
 Candles
 Flowers
 Gifts

4. Traditions: Food
 Pan de los Muertos
 Special loaves of bread are baked, called pan de muertos, and
decorated with "bones.

5. Traditions: Flowers
 During los Dias de los Muertos the yellow marigold
symbolizes the short duration of life.
 Other flowers commonly seen during this celebration include
the white amaryllis, wild orchids, baby's breath and ruby
coxcombs are offered as adornment and enticement for the
returning spirits.
 Wreaths made of flowers, both real and plastic, are often
placed on the grave sites.

6. Traditions: Papel Picado
 Papel Picado is a traditional
art used to decorate homes,
businesses, markets and
altars in preparation for the
Day of the Dead.
 The thin tissue paper images
are usually cut in large
quantities and hung in
repetitious patterns.

7. Traditions: Skeletons
 Skeletons and skulls are found everywhere. Chocolate
skulls, marzipan coffins, and white chocolate skeletons.
 Handmade skeleton figurines, called calacas, are
especially popular. Calacas usually show an active and
joyful afterlife. Figures of musicians, generals on
horseback, even skeletal brides, in their white bridal
gowns marching down the aisles with their boney
grooms.

8. Links
 Día de los Muertos: For Teachers and Students
 http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/teachers/
 Common misconceptions about the Day of the
Dead
 http://www.inside-mexico.com/noes.htm
 History, Traditions, and Significance
 http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/dead.htm