Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that honors deceased loved ones through traditions, including memorial altars, specialty foods, cemetery visits, and more. It takes place on Nov. 1 and 2 and is primarily celebrated in Mexico, where 91% of the population participates in Day of the Dead festivities, generating more than $2B in tourism revenue in 2023. Many other Latin American countries and places with large Mexican populations also observe the holiday.
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The average Mexican family spends more than $60 USD on celebration elements like flowers, candles, food, and decorations. The holiday also draws more than 2 million foreign tourists to join in the festivities.
While almost all celebrations involve cemeteries and altars, many countries also have their own unique traditions, including Bolivia’s staircase-shaped bread to help lead souls to heaven, and Haiti’s voodoo-influenced rituals.
Some items, like pan de muerto, hold specific symbolic meaning for the holiday. But ofrendas also often include everyday dishes that were favorites of the deceased, such as tamales or spiced hot chocolate, to entice them to visit.
Each element of the altar is meaningful. There is food and drink to nourish the spirits on their journey, candles to light their way, and incense to protect against evil spirits, among other things.
While most events are small and local, several cemeteries draw tourists from around the country and the world. Mexico City, in particular, is home to the graves of multiple famous artists and musicians who attract crowds.
The brioche-like bread is for both the living and the dead. It’s placed on altars for the spirits who return to enjoy, and families bake and eat it to honor the cycle of life and death.
The native Mexican flower performs several functions in Day of the Dead celebrations. Its vibrance and unique scent help guide wandering souls home, and its cheerful color reminds celebrants that death can still be joyful.
The tradition of calaveras literarias, or satirical poems about death, dates back to the 20th century. They take aim at everyone, including deceased loved ones, politicians, family and friends.
The image of the skeleton in a feather hat, satirizing women who chased European fashion trends, first appeared in 1912 on broadsides printed by José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican artist. Today, she is the holiday’s most recognizable symbol.
The colorful candy combines Indigenous traditions with European confectionery techniques. Its symbolization reminds celebrants that death can be “sweet.”
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