In some places, families set off rockets or large firecrackers to announce to the dead that it is time to come. In some communities, the dead will join the living in a meal, although only the dead may eat from the ofrenda. Children are warned that the sweets, bread, and delicious offerings are first given to the dead.
What is done with the ofrenda food when Dia de Los Muertos is over? You can eat the stuff that doesn't go bad. The food and the offering is not really thought of as “given” to the death, but prepared so they come for a visit, have a good time and then go back to Mictlan or wherever.
Traditional Foods of Día de los Muertos Celebrations
During Day of the Dead festivities, food is both eaten by living people and given to the spirits of their departed ancestors as ofrendas (“offerings”).
Most altars have a simple white table cloth, often one that has been passed through generations, covering the different levels. Salt is placed on the altar. It is believed that salt will protect the body from breaking down as it travels the journey between the world of the dead and of the living.
The holiday, observed on Nov. 1 and 2, honors deceased ancestors. And food and drink are a big part of the festivities — they are ofrendas, or offerings, put on altars to entice deceased loved ones to come back for a visit.
People eat the bread with their families, but it is also an essential offering on home altars, or ofrendas.
Dia de Los Muertos celebrations in Mexico involve cooking favorite foods of loved ones that have passed away. Tamales are often part of the Day of the Dead menu. However, any tamal recipe will do. From the savory tamales rojos to the sweet taste of tamalitos de elote, you will find these recipes simply divine.
The souls that visit their altars do not actually eat or drink what is on the altar. They can't – they have no bodies! Instead, they absorb the aroma and energy of the food, which nourishes their spirits.
Altars with three levels represent the sky, the earth and the underworld according to my other Tia. This has connections to the Aztec belief system and in the Christian world view, the three levels could be either hell, heaven and earth or a representation of the Holy Trinity.
“The celebration is an expression of Latin American culture and Catholic beliefs, which makes use of some familiar symbols to teach and celebrate the Church's teaching on the communion of saints.” Ofrendas, or altars, are traditionally used in Día de los Muertos celebrations to honor deceased loved ones.
And seeing as its roots come from Mexican culture, you can safely assume that most of the cocktails involve a generous helping of mezcal or tequila. Check out our collection of Día de los Muertos cocktails for a delicious way to raise a glass to your loved ones this weekend!
Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments.
Altars are traditionally built on October 30th and 31st and are taken down November 2nd. It is believed that the souls of the children return first, so altars laden with their favorite foods and toys are set out on October 31st.
In the case of the Day of the Dead altar, the fruit, along with oranges and other seasonal items, symbolize the earth's bounty. It's something for your loved ones to eat on their journey into the next world.
Another key element for any ofrenda is salt. It gives the spirits strength, Ramírez-Oropeza said, to journey to the land of the living. I had long thought of Día de los Muertos as an intimate holiday centered on family.
Some use four candles, placed in the shape of a cross, to signify north, south, east, and west, which helps the souls orient themselves and find their way to the ofrenda. While white candles are common, purple – a mark of grief – is also used.
Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Papel picado, or traditional paper banners, represent the wind. Earth is represented by food, especially bread.
Papel picado serves as a colorful and meaningful trim: black represents death, purple means grief of mourning, pink is celebration, white symbolizes hope and yellow stands for the sun. Sugar skulls, or calaveras, add a lighthearted touch, for both the dead and the living.
Ancestor Worship - Looking at the Altar. The fruit and bowls of food are offerings made to the deceased to earn the soul merits. They consist of foods that the deceased enjoyed eating in his or her lifetime. The food offerings are usually replaced daily, but fruits can be left on the altar for a little while longer.
In remembrance of deceased children, toy and game sets, cuddly toys, as well as candy and snacks they enjoyed may be placed here. For adults, it's traditional to leave samples of the food and drink they especially enjoyed (or the ingredients which make them).
Churros. Brought to Mexico by the Spanish, churros are a sweet, cylindrical pastry now found throughout Mexico. They are not traditional food during Day Of The Dead per se; however, they often are sold by vendors on the streets, and they go fabulous with champurrado!
Pan de muerto is an essential part of a Día de los Muertos home altar or shrine, also called an ofrenda. The bread adorns the altar openly or in a basket, and is meant to nourish the dead when they return to the land of the living during Día de los Muertos.
Children are warned that the sweets, bread, and delicious offerings are first given to the dead. The living will eventually eat them but only after much of their essence and flavor has been consumed by the dead.