My Bucket List / Experience Goals
Experience Dia De Los Muertes Festival
Still to do
What it is
Día de los Muertos is when families welcome back the spirits of the dead with altars, marigolds and celebrations.
How to do it
Oaxaca, Mexico City and Pátzcuaro have famous celebrations.
Top tip
Be respectful in cemeteries.
Why it’s on my list
Día de Muertos, or day of the dead in English, celebrates the lives of the deceased. Those who celebrate it believe that at midnight on October 31, the souls of all deceased children come down from heaven and reunite with their families on November 1, and the souls of deceased adults come visit on November 2.
The celebration originated in central and southern Mexico. Families make colourful altars in their homes in honour of their deceased loved ones, and the altars are decorated with flowers, candles, their loved one’s favourite food and pan de muerto (a slightly sweet bread specifically made for this time).
The festivities continue in the cemetery, where families bring picnics, play music and sometimes even spend the night as a way to celebrate the lives of those who are no longer on this earth.