Every year, people celebrate Dia de los Muertos, or “The day of the dead.” It is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1st, and November 2nd, and even October 31st, and November 6th, depending on the location. This holiday is celebrated to show respect to past family members, friends, and lovers.
Mexican culture has been celebrating Dia de los Muertos for over 3,000years. It has become a way to remember loved ones who have passed. People decorate ofrendas with marigolds and candles. Many people gather together and celebrate as a family. Also,they tell stories and share meals.
Locally, we celebrate and honor Dia de los Muertos in Arcata. In the Arcata High library, we have an ofrenda. It’s decorated with marigolds, pictures of loved ones, letters, and more. In some Spanish classes, they made small, shoe box ofrendas about Dia de los Muertos.
My family and I also celebrate Dia de los Muertos. We have been celebrating it since my brother died. When he died, I was still in elementary school. Although we still don’t know how he died, we have a shelf in our kitchen where we create an ofrenda. Every year, we put up pictures, and we put marigolds from our backyard in a vase for him. We also put a plate with a small amount of our dinner or breakfast, and candles on the ofrenda.
This is a beautiful tradition for passed loved ones, it shows respect, and allows us to remember those who passed. It helps my family feel good and not bad about his death, because we know we’re honoring him in a special way. It reminds us that even though he’s gone, his memory is still here with us. Doing this makes us feel connected to him, like he’s still a part of our lives, and that brings us comfort and peace.
