BZ Dia de los Muertos: Come Party With The Dead!

Day of the dead or Dia de los Muertos- Is a special day to celebrate the lives of our family members that have passed on.

It is a very important holiday for my family and I because it’s one of those holidays where we all come together to remember our deceased family members and bring them back with memories. We sit around telling stories and jokes that were said by them. it's very fun to remember those good times when they were physically here.

The earliest memory I have of this holiday was when I was a little girl and I was living in Chihuahua, Mexico at the time. We had a big celebration and I just remember looking at all these old photos of people I didn't know at the time who were my family members and ancestors. I remember smelling the yummy food at the altar where they sat surrounded by candles and Marigold flowers also called Cempasuchitl in Spanish. The word “Cempasuchitl” comes from Aztec origins and translates to “flower of many petals”.

My favorite memory of Dia de Los Muertos was when I was at my grandma's house in Mexico when I was around 11 years old. The women of the family gathered in the living room to pray and think about our family members. There is something about the feeling of being together that I enjoy so much. Especially when I'm around the strong women in my life.

In the Mexican culture, people paint their faces in true celebration of life. Sometimes people only paint half the face to represent life and death. In my opinion painting my face is important to me because it makes me feel a lot more festive and shows my effort in making the celebration more special.

My makeup process is very simple. I will look at inspiration images online and then I just go for it. I always start with the eyes and keep working outwards. To achieve the look that I want.

My DOTD plans this year are going to be quite small. I plan to spend the holiday at my mom’s house. Together, we’ll make a beautiful altar and yummy tamales. We’ll make extras for our deceased family members as well.

If you celebrate- don't stop! Be proud of your mexican roots and don’t be afraid to show your culture. And for those who are curious about the holiday, don’t be shy to hang out with your Mexican friends on this holiday and learn about it. Of course, some families will choose to keep their celebration private, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Vamos a celebrar!

Mexican Marigold flowers:

People believe that Marigold Flowers use their vibrant colors to represent The Sun, and The Sun, in Aztec mythology, guides the spirits on their way to and from the underworld. The strong perfume of the flowers attracts the spirits of the departed and they return to visit their families.

Credit: here

Sugar Skulls:

Made from Sugar and water. Big skulls are for adults passing, small ones are for people that passed at a young age.

La Catrina:

Made by an artist in the 1900’s to remind people that they would all end up dead in the end. Mexicans had aspirations to look wealthy and aristocratic like the Europeans at that time. No matter how rich or poor you were, no matter the color of your skin, and no matter what society you belonged to, you would all end up skeletons. People have also said that La Catrina is a protector.