Beautiful and intricate Day of The Dead altar. Photo by MissKimWeiss.
The central piece of the Day of the Dead celebration at home is an altar or shrine dedicated to the dead; it may sound a bit macabre at first, but in reality is done with a cheerful edge in loving commemoration of those who are no longer among us. The whole concept behind the festivity is that, for one day only, the spirits of the dead are allowed to step back into the realm of the living to visit their families and enjoy the offerings presented for them in these altars. The altar is a special place in which one places all the items and food that will be offered in remembrance of the deceased ones, and it can be as big or small, as simple or extravagant as one wants. I usually set up a small table in the dining room or the main living room, since that way the altar is on display both for family and visitors (that’s another thing I enjoy very much: going to other people’s houses and looking at their altars! Some of them are so creative and lovingly made).
Very colorful Day of the Dead altar. Source: Nibbles and Feasts.
Once a place for it has been chosen, the fun begins: decoration! What kinds of elements are featured in a Day of The Dead altar? In theory almost anything can be incorporated into it by using some imagination, but here are some of the basics:
Punched or Perforated Paper (Papel Picado).
Colorful perforated paper, a staple on Day of the Dead. Photo by Ilhuicamina.
One of the things that most easily dress up and confer a traditional look to the altar is the perforated paper. It consists on thin sheets of colorful paper, decorated with cut-out figures depicting either geometrical patterns or imagery allusive to the dead (skeletons, angels, flowers, crosses). Usually, the colors chosen are very bright and contrasting – the altar decorations traditionally tend to be extremely colorful, even gaudy.
Perforated paper with geometrical patterns: a very cute DIY Project for the weekend!
I usually choose a plain cloth to dress the table, and layer the perforated paper over it. One can also wrap some little cardboard boxes and use them as platforms for displaying other goods in the altar at different levels.
Tip: The most intricately perforated papers look much better if you put a plain sheet of silk paper in a contrasting color behind it. For example, my grandmother and I like to buy intricately perforated paper patterns in white, and place them in front of colorful sheets so the figures stand out.
Exhibit A: One of the Day of the Dead Altars that my grandmother and I set up, six years ago! Note the perforated paper over some orange background.
Little baskets for sweets (Canastitas).
Paper and cardboard little baskets for sweet treats. Photo by Quezalcalli.
My favorite element in the altar is definitely the little baskets. Not only are they the vessels containing all the candy and colorful sweet figurines (more on that later!), but they provide such an exciting opportunity for putting creativity into play. They offer so many possibilities for customizing: colors to choose from, shapes, decoration, patterns, sizes… they can really make your offering look unique and personalized, not to mention beautiful! And the best part is, you can very easily make them yourself with materials that you can find in your house anyway. Brilliant! In case you want to spend a happy afternoon crafting your own, here is a really nice tutorial for it. It's in Spanish, but the pictures are pretty much self-explanatory, and the little baskets are so easy to make!
Click here for the tutorial on how to make these little baskets for Day of the Dead sweet treats.
Candles.
Flowers.
Buying flowers at the market for the Day of the Dead altar.
To me, nothing announces the upcoming Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico as the unmistakable aroma of Mexican marigolds scenting the air when one walks past a market.Marigolds are used because they are supposed to attract the souls of the dead; we call them by their old name in Náhuatl tongue: Cempazúchitl or Cempasúchil. The most popular ones used are the fullest, intense orange colored ones, although some people alternate them with yellow ones for contrast. The flowers can be used as a whole or by taking the petals and making patterns, carpets and lines with them around or on the altar.
One tradition that I like to follow is adding a little trail of marigold petals leading from the front door of the house to the altar; it is believed that this will help the soul of the visiting dead to find the offering. That is one thing that one should know about folk knowledge of dead people in Mexico: oddly enough, the sense of smell seems to be the most important to them, as can be inferred by the emphasis on the aromas during this celebration. Thus, the smell of the marigold serves as a guiding path.
Guiding the Dead to the altar. Photo by Quetzalcalli.
Incense.
Following the aromatic theme, another practice employed to attract the spirits of the dead is burning incense. Ideally, it must be copal incense, sold in pieces made from hardened tree resin that are to be burnt in a special clay or metallic burner. This is the kind of incense that has been used in traditional ceremonies for thousands of years, the one used in ancient, pre-Hispanic Mexico.
The incense must not be burnt continuously, however; it is only to be lit at certain times of the day during the celebration.
Memorabilia.
One can add photos, pictures, toys, favorite items of the deceased, and anything that the people to whom the altar is dedicated used to enjoy in life. Almost anything goes, so creativity can be let loose here as well. However, I find that the altar looks better when it’s not overpowered by non-traditional elements.
Finally, an important thing to consider: when should you set up your altar? While the most important days of the celebration are the 1st and 2nd of November, people who observe the tradition closely usually set up the altar on the day of the 28th of October. It is believed that the souls visit the realm of the living in an orderly manner depending of the circumstances of their death:
- The night of the 28th is dedicated to those who were killed in accidents or were murdered;
- The 30th is the night destined for the souls of those children who died without being baptized (Mexico is a country with a strong catholic tradition), and therefore inhabit limbo.
- The night of the 31st of October and 1st of November is for the visit of all those who died as children; candy and toys are set on the altar for the occasion.
- Finally, the night of the 1st until the midday of November 2nd, the visit of all the rest of souls belonging to those who died as adults is expected, and the main celebration takes place. This is the time when people go to the cemetery (either by day or night) to clean and decorate the graves of their deceased family members, and sometimes eat a traditional meal there as well. Some people celebrate at home, telling stories about their loved ones who have departed, while their spirits are believed to be in the room, able to listen while they enjoy the food in the altar in the company of the living.
Me, helping setting up an altar at University, some time ago when I had neon red hair...
Stay tuned for the next installment, that will be full of yummy and cute things: Day of the Dead Food! Thanks for reading,
