One special part of Día de los Muertos is celebrating loved ones by passing along oral history and family stories from one generation to the next. It is a way to celebrate our differences, and often helps us see that we have more in common with others than we might think.ĭoes your family celebrate Día de los Muertos? Do you have a special way that you celebrate those who have passed? We would love to see your altars or any special celebrations of life that you and your family create! It helps introduce us to other perspectives, whether they are from a shared culture we are a part of, or one that is different from our own. It’s important to hear and listen to other people’s stories. I can only speak on how my family has celebrated this event and what it means to me.
You can celebrate your loved ones who have passed in any manner that is special to you. I believe there is no wrong or right way to celebrate Día de los Muertos. In this blog, you will see some examples of the altars that my family and I have created along with some of my artwork inspired by the holiday. As an artist, Día de los Muertos images and altars have stuck with me and are greatly represented in my work. Throughout my life, these images have been a thread that is woven throughout the tapestry of my family. On the back read the words “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die”. Shortly after my father passed, I received a photo from my godmother of him holding me and my twin brother when we were babies.
This gives me peace and I look forward to feeling them again next year.ĭeath is scary and uncertain but can also be a very beautiful thing if we take the time to embrace it and show that it is all a part of life. As we slowly start to take down the altar, it gives us the opportunity to say goodbye one more time and thank them for coming to visit us. Brightly colored tissue paper and decorations are hung on and around the altar as a representation of the celebration of life and is a reminder that this should not be a somber time, but one for celebration and welcoming home those you have missed.Īlthough the celebration usually occurs on the first and second of November, we tend to leave our altar up for a few more days as it can be hard to say goodbye. This helps us reconnect with the spirit in a physical form.Īlong with these offerings we would often burn incense as we use it to cleanse and drive away bad spirits in preparations for your loved ones to return. For example, we place my father’s walking cane and favorite hat beside his photo. Next to each image we try to include an item that belonged to them. The top level is where we place the images and personal belongings of those who have passed. The second level is where we place the food and special treats that they loved while they were here. We lay out the towel and water so that they can refresh themselves after their long journey. The candles are used to light the way back to us with the fragrance of the flowers enticing the spirits to come back. The bottom level usually contains candles, flowers, towels, and water. My family has created these altars for as long as I can remember, and it has grown, as we have had to say goodbye to our loved ones throughout the years. This is to welcome them and help aid them on their journey to and from the afterlife. These consist of some of the favorite things that the person enjoyed like specific treats or drinks. The altars contain images of loved ones, candles, sugar skulls known as “calaveras” and most importantly, it is a place for “ofrendas” or offerings for those who have passed. These altars can be simple, but often, they are elaborately decorated in vibrant colors and wonderful images. We drape the levels in vibrant tablecloths and begin to add the “ofrendas” and decorations. For my family this represents the 3 stages of life: birth, life, and death. Our altar usually consists of three levels. One of our major focuses of the celebration is the altar that is created to honor our loved ones who have passed. We would laugh, we would cry, but most importantly we were remembering all the special people who have come into our lives to make us who we are today. I can remember putting our altars together and retelling stories of loved ones. Instead of sheltering me from this, my mother decided to embrace the loss to teach me about life and used this celebration as a way to welcome his spirit back for a short time. My first experience of loss was the passing of my father when I was a child.
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