Día de Muertos, day by day
Something people are often surprised by when we talk about Día de Muertos at our stall is that Day of the Dead isn't one day! In a lot of Mexican homes it runs for a week - from the 27th of October to 2nd of November.
It wasn’t always like this. The two main days, 1st and 2nd of November, came with the Catholic calendar: All Saints’ Day for the children, All Souls’ Day for the grown-ups. Long before that, the Mexica honoured their dead in the summer. The two traditions mixed, and over the years more days were added. Now each day has its own meaning.
Different souls are expected on different nights, so the ofrenda (the altar) welcomes different people, and different furry babies. A candle here, a glass of water there, a plate of something sweet for the little ones, or a bone for your dog. Lolita, my furry baby, has a special place in my ofrenda.
Growing up, the end of October was really special for us. It still is. So if you’d like to set up a proper ofrenda this year, here’s who visits you, day by day.
Who comes back home and when
27th of October: pets. Our Día de Muertos week opens with the animals who were part of the family. This one is a newer addition, but it makes sense, right? Our pets are our babies! A photo, their bowl, maybe a favourite toy.
28th of October: those who died suddenly. This is the day for people who died in an accident or by violence. It's a quieter day.
29th of October: those who drowned. Many families remember people lost to water on this day. Some regions use it for the souls in purgatory instead.
30th of October: the forgotten. The souls with no one left to remember them. People put out a candle or a little food for them anyway. Nobody should arrive to an empty table.
31st of October: the “limbitos”. Babies who were never born, and children who died before they were baptised. White flowers and candles are common on these altars.
1st of November: the angelitos. Día de Todos los Santos. This is the children's day. The ofrenda fills up with sweets, small toys and bright colours, so they have something to play with when they visit.
2nd of November: Día de los Fieles Difuntos. The grown-ups come home. Their favourite food, their drink, their music, their photo. This is the day most people outside Mexico think of as Day of the Dead.
It depends who you ask
Quick disclaimer before anyone says “that’s not how my family does it”...
Everyone celebrates differently, and if you ask different people you might get slightly different answers. Some put the children on 30th of October. Some don’t mark the early days at all and keep it to 1st and 2nd of November.
That’s the point. It’s not a rulebook. It’s a family thing, and every family does it its own way.
Come and see one in person
If you'd like to see an ofrenda up close, we're putting one together at The Finch in Leith on Friday 23rd and 24th of October. There’ll be mezcal, food and a small celebration to remember our loved ones. There are still a few places left at our table. You can get tickets on our events page.
Con cariño,
Constanza - Rooted in Mexico