Spooky season has arrived! Soon, I’m going to host a party with my husband for Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead. I was surprised to find out that many people I know are unfamiliar with it. Today, we will discuss Día de los Muertos, what it is, and how to celebrate if you choose to do so.
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While I immerse myself into the spooky season vibe, typically around late August and early September, most people don’t begin to enjoy this time of year until October 1st. In my opinion, there are way too many things to do in just one month, which is why I typically start enjoying and decorating much earlier. Apple ciders don the shelves, pumpkin-flavored treats, and beverages make their way back for a limited time, and fall-themed activities start sprouting up. My children are about to go on a school field trip to a pumpkin patch and enjoy a hayride, for example.
These hallmark features of the season are accompanied by several holidays; the most commonly known one is Halloween. It’s also known among witches as Samhain, but I’m here today to talk about the Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos.
The Day of the Dead, known as Día de los Muertos, is a deeply significant holiday with roots in indigenous Mesoamerican traditions, with traces of its earliest roots stemming from the Aztec civilization, which blended with Catholic elements brought by Spanish colonization. This celebration is observed predominantly in Mexico but also in other parts of Latin America, honoring the deceased, celebrating their lives, and inviting their spirits to return and commune with the living.
While not explicitly a “witchy” holiday, the blending of ancestral veneration, folk magic, and pagan roots gives it spiritual resonances that appeal to many in witchcraft, especially those practicing ancestral magic, nature-based spirituality, or those who observe pagan festivals like Samhain.
For me, my husband, and children, it’s a way to continue feeling the presence of our lost loved ones. My husband’s father passed while he was still a child, so our children will only know him through the stories told during this time every year. Knowing of our ancestral line helps ground us in our ancestral power, their love and wisdom fuels us in this life, encouraging one to continue in their path as they guide us to our purpose.
A Brief History and the Cultural Origins
Día de los Muertos was originally celebrated with a month-long celebration to honor the dead, particularly the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Queen of the Underworld.
Yes, you read that right! The Aztecs celebrated a version of what we now know as Día de los Muertos over the course of an entire month. The Aztecs believed in a cyclical view of life and death, where death was a natural continuation of existence rather than an ending.
Aztec Celebration of the Dead
Festival Duration
The Aztec celebration was held during the ninth month of the Aztec solar calendar, which corresponds roughly to August in the modern calendar. The ninth month of the Aztec calendar was called Tlaxochimaco (“the giving of flowers”). It was followed by Miccailhuitontli (“the little feast of the dead”) and Huey Miccailhuitl (“the great feast of the dead”), which were dedicated to honoring the dead with offerings of food, flowers, and rituals. These celebrations are precursors to the modern Día de los Muertos.
Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead
The festival was primarily dedicated to Mictecacihuatl, the Queen of the Underworld. She was believed to watch over the dead and ensure that their spirits were cared for. Along with her husband Mictlantecuhtli, she ruled over Mictlan, the realm of the dead. She played a key role in the celebration, as offerings and rituals were meant to please her and the spirits of the dead.
Honoring the Dead
It was believed that there were multiple destinations for the souls of the dead, depending on how a person died. Warriors, for example, who died in battle, were thought to go to a different place than those who died of natural causes. The month-long celebration was focused on remembering and honoring those who had passed away, specifically ancestors and deceased warriors.
Rituals and Offerings
During this month, the Aztecs made offerings of food, water, and flowers to the dead, much like what is done during modern Día de los Muertos celebrations. They would also engage in rituals, dances, and prayers to ensure that the dead were honored properly. These rituals were meant to celebrate the life that the deceased had lived and to continue their memory in the community. Skulls and bones were important symbols used to represent both the dead and the cycle of life. These elements eventually evolved into the calaveras (sugar skulls) that are now so closely associated with Día de los Muertos.
Connection to the Harvest
The celebration of the dead was also connected to the harvest cycle, as the dead were believed to provide spiritual support for agricultural fertility. Offerings made during this time were often tied to the bounty of the earth, such as corn, beans, squash, and flowers.
Spanish Influence and Modern Adaptation
When the Spanish colonized Mexico in the 16th century, they introduced Catholicism and tried to suppress many indigenous religious practices. However, the Aztec festival dedicated to the dead survived, though it was adapted and merged with Catholic traditions. The Spanish moved the indigenous celebration to coincide with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1st and 2nd. This blending of indigenous and Christian beliefs resulted in the modern Día de los Muertos as we know it today.
This holiday is especially important in Mexican culture, though it’s observed in various forms across Latin America and parts of the United States. The belief is that the spirits of those you are honoring return to visit during this time. For many witches and pagans, especially those interested in ancestral veneration, this aspect of Día de los Muertos aligns closely with Samhain (the Wiccan and pagan festival marking the end of the harvest and honoring the dead), making it an interesting cultural parallel.
A modern adaptation to Día de los Muertos are alebrijes, companionsto the spirits of the dead. Not part of the original Aztec traditions, they were created in the 1930s by Mexican artist Pedro Linares after a fever dream in which he saw these fantastical creatures. The Aztecs had their own deeply spiritual beliefs about animal guides, known as nahuales, which were shapeshifting spirit animals that could protect or guide humans. While alebrijes themselves are a modern creation, they have been embraced as part of Mexican cultural folklore, blending with Día de los Muertos celebrations and taking on a role similar to that of traditional spirit guides in Aztec and indigenous beliefs.
Alebrijes are vibrant, fantastical creatures that guide our honored dead during Día de los Muertos, helping them on their journey between the realms of the living and the dead. These creatures combine the traits of various animals, each with symbolic meaning—such as eagles representing vision, jaguars embodying strength, and butterflies symbolizing transformation.
Relationship with Witchcraft
So what is the connection? As we’ve discussed before, witchcraft is a relevant term, so it’s hard to say there’s really any ‘connection’ between these celebrations and witchcraft. The connection can be understood and more easily explained in the more broad terms of ancestral magic and spirit communication. Many witchcraft traditions, especially those in Latin America (e.g., brujería), involve honoring ancestors, working with the dead, and engaging with spirit realms—practices mirrored in the Day of the Dead traditions.
An altar, commonly called an ofrenda for this celebration, is set up to invite the spirits of ancestors, a process that resonates with similar practices in witchcraft for building ancestral altars or holding rituals or spirit feasts to contact the spirit world.
While modern witchcraft is often eclectic, witches who celebrate the Day of the Dead may incorporate this holiday as part of their spiritual practice, either in place of or alongside Samhain. Some brujos (witches) in Mexico blend indigenous practices with modern witchcraft or folk Catholicism, invoking the spirits of the dead for guidance, protection, or as intermediaries.
The Meaning behind Día de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead celebrates life and death in a cyclical, inseparable manner. The core idea is that death is not an end but a part of life’s journey. As I briefly stated before, families believe that their deceased loved ones return during these days to enjoy the pleasures of the living world, which is why altars/ofrendas are adorned with offerings like food, drink, and personal items of lost loved ones. There are not meant to be days of sadness associated with this; rather, it is meant to be a joyful remembrance of life, symbolized by calaveras (the sugar skulls), marigolds (cempasúchil), and festive music.
How to Celebrate Día de los Muertos
Let’s talk about getting ready to celebrate! Everything differs depending on location, family tradition, and spiritual belief. Here are a few ideas!
- Creating an Ofrenda (Altar): Families build altars in their homes or at gravesites to honor their deceased loved ones. These altars are usually tiered and include symbolic items.
- Visiting Gravesites: Families often clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones, leaving flowers, food, candles, and other offerings. For Día de los Muertos, visiting the graves of deceased loved ones is common. Families often clean the graves, decorate them with marigolds and candles, and spend time celebrating with food and music.
- Sugar Skulls and Calaveras: These colorful skulls, made from sugar or clay, symbolize both death and rebirth. They can be personalized with the name of the deceased or living individuals.
- Marigolds (Cempasúchil): These bright orange flowers are believed to guide the spirits to the altars with their vibrant color and strong fragrance.
- Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead): A traditional sweet bread baked for the holiday, often left on altars as an offering to the dead.
- Festive Parades and Catrina Costumes: In some places, public parades feature people dressed as skeletons or La Catrina, the iconic figure of a skeleton in an elegant dress, symbolizing that death is a natural part of life.
- Storytelling: One of the most meaningful ways to honor ancestors is through storytelling. Share stories about your loved ones who have passed on with your family or in your personal journal. It keeps their memories alive. In some Día de los Muertos traditions, people gather to recount stories of their loved ones, making it a celebration of life and shared memories.
An example of some delicious-looking pan de muerto is shown below!
Setting Up an Ofrenda Altar for Día de los Muertos
An ofrenda is a type of altar that serves as the focal point for Día de los Muertos celebrations. Let’s set one up.
- Tiers: Traditionally, an altar has two to three tiers. The first represents heaven or the spirit world, the second represents the earth, and the third (if present) can symbolize the underworld or purgatory.
- Photos of Deceased Loved Ones: A central element is placing photos of your ancestors and any loved ones you are honoring.
- Offerings (Ofrendas): These include food like tamales and fruits, beverages like tequila or favorite drinks, Pan de Muerto (click here for a recipe), candy, and other items the deceased enjoyed in life. Water is also placed to quench the thirst of the spirits after their journey. Offerings are a way to express gratitude and to connect with the spirits of your ancestors.
- For Día de los Muertos, traditional offerings like bread, tequila, mezcal, chocolate, or coffee can be added.
- For Samhain, offerings from the last harvest like apples, cider, wine, or bread are typical, but you can combine these with foods from Día de los Muertos for a rich ancestral feast.
- Candles and Incense: Lighting candles and burning incense helps invite spirits and create a sacred space. Light candles on your altar or outside to guide the spirits of your ancestors back to you. The act of lighting a candle is a way to show that you are creating sacred space and remembering your ancestors.
- For Día de los Muertos, use marigold-scented candles or those in traditional colors (yellow, orange).
- For Samhain, black and white candles symbolize death and purity, and their flame represents the light that guides the spirits during this time.
- Cempasúchil Flowers (Marigolds): These flowers are essential, as their fragrance and color are believed to attract spirits and show the way for the spirits to visit the ofrenda.
- Salt: Salt is placed to purify the spirits.
- Papel Picado (Perforated Paper): This colorful tissue paper, cut with intricate designs, adds to the festive atmosphere and symbolizes the wind.
- Skulls and Skeletons: Calaveras, both edible (sugar skulls) and decorative, are placed on the altar to remind us of the inevitability of death.
- Food and Drinks: Place offerings of food (like tamales, fruits, candies, or Pan de Muerto) and drinks (like tequila, mezcal, or hot chocolate). This nourishes the spirits.
- Personal Messages or Prayers: Write letters, poems, or messages to your deceased loved ones. These personal touches help create a stronger connection with the spirits. You can pray, meditate, or invoke your ancestors in ritual to invite them into your space. Share words of gratitude, ask for guidance, or simply acknowledge their presence in your life.
Variations in Celebrations
Though Día de los Muertos is most famously celebrated in Mexico, different regions and cultures have their unique ways of observing this holiday. For example:
- In Guatemala, kites are flown to carry messages to the dead.
- In Bolivia, people bring skulls to the cemetery to honor their ancestors.
- In the U.S., especially in places with large Mexican-American communities, public celebrations, altars, and parades are popular.
Honoring ancestors is a deeply personal and spiritual practice that can be adapted based on your cultural background, spiritual beliefs, and personal connection to those who have passed.
Create a combined Samhain-Día de los Muertos altar by blending elements from both traditions. For instance, you can have marigolds, sugar skulls, and photographs alongside Samhain symbols like pumpkins, black candles, and dried herbs. This creates a vibrant and sacred space to honor ancestors in multiple ways.
Día de los Muertos Timeline
While Día de los Muertos is most traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, in some regions and families the observance begins earlier, with specific days dedicated to welcoming different groups of souls. Each day has its own focus, culminating in a joyful remembrance of all the departed by November 2nd. This extended observance often begins around October 27th and is a way of gradually welcoming the spirits back to the world of the living.
Keep in mind that this order of celebration changes depending on location and beliefs, each family has their own way for celebrating. Here’s a breakdown of the order of celebration, day by day, starting from October 27th, that my husband and I follow:
October 27th – Day for the Spirits of Pets
This day is a modern addition in some regions where the souls of beloved pets and animals are believed to return to visit their families. Altars (ofrendas) may include food, water, and toys for pets who have passed away. Some families will set up a small space for their pets on this day with pictures and offerings.
October 28th – Day for Those Who Are Lost
This day is dedicated to the lost souls, those who have no one left to remember or honor them, or whose names and lives have been forgotten over time. These souls are believed to wander without the connection of family or remembrance. Candles and flowers are placed on the altar to guide and comfort these forgotten spirits, ensuring they are not overlooked.
This day is about remembering those who have no one left to care for them and offering them peace.
October 29th – Day for the Lonely or Forgotten Souls
This day is dedicated to those who do not have anyone left to remember or honor them—perhaps the forgotten souls who are no longer remembered by their families or who died without friends or family. Altars on this day may include extra candles, flowers, and offerings made for the “forgotten dead” so they are not left out during the celebration.
My mother has an ancestral altar with a well-preserved photo of my great-great-grandfather, born in the 1800s. He was a farmer who grew grapes. He passed when my mother was young. She’s lucky to remember him, as not many people can say they have memories with their great-grandparents. She would tell me about how he had an old house, weathered and grey, without much color, like a screenshot from an old movie.
While my mother can tell me these details and a few stories of her interactions with him, she is the last person in my family who will have true memories. Someday, when I am gone, and it is my daughter’s duty to tell the stories of the ancestors, he will be on the verge of being a forgotten soul, as the stories will no longer be firsthand and just retellings of what others have told her about her great-great-great-grandfather.
October 30th – Day for Those Who Died in Accidents or Without a Proper Burial
On this day, the focus is on the souls of those who died without receiving a proper burial, without family, or those who died in accidents or other tragic circumstances. These souls may have passed away under challenging or untimely conditions, such as starvation or isolation, and may not have had the opportunity to enjoy their last meal or proper rites.
Families offer food, candles, and water to help ease these souls and guide them toward peace.
October 31st – Day for Departed Ancestors
On October 31st, the focus shifts to honoring the souls of ancestors who have passed, and in some regions, it is common to recognize the children who weren’t born but who would have been welcomed into the family.
Remember and invite the spirits of all adult family members and loved ones who have transitioned to the afterlife. This day is a time for families to honor the memory of those who came before them, keeping their legacy and spirits alive, allowing them to see how their family continued to grow even though they are no longer there.
November 1st – All Saints’ Day
November 1st is All Saints’ Day in the Catholic calendar, but in the context of Día de los Muertos, it is the day when the spirits of deceased children return to visit. This day is filled with tenderness and often includes prayers for the souls of children. The focus is for children who died, but these are children who lived a portion of their lives before passing. It’s believed that the spirits of children arrive in the evening to spend time with their families.
November 2nd – All Souls’ Day / Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
November 2nd is the official Día de los Muertos. This is the culmination of the entire celebration. On this day, families honor all of the deceased—their ancestors, friends, and family members. Gravesites are often cleaned, decorated, and visited by family members who might bring food, drinks, and music and even have a picnic at the grave to celebrate with their loved ones. It’s a day full of joy and remembrance, with the belief that the dead are reunited with the living for a brief time.
November 3rd – Farewell to the Departed Souls
November 3rd is the day when families bid farewell to the spirits as we bring the celebrations of Día de los Muertos to a close. The souls are believed to return to the afterlife after their brief visit to the living world. The altars are cleaned up, and any remaining offerings are shared among the living, symbolizing the continuing bond between the dead and the living. Incense and copal, remind them to come back next year.
While we clean up the things we used to celebrate Día de los Muertos, our core ofrenda remains year-round in my home. There are times throughout the year when grief hits randomly as we recall memories of lost loved ones, and it brings comfort in our home to have their photos always up. It’s not required to keep an ofrenda year-round, but I have multiple altars and spiritual spaces that are decorated at all times in my home, so keeping an ofrenda up is commonplace.
Until next time!
I’ve always been drawn to witchcraft. I grew up feeling somewhat adrift in traditional religious settings but felt entirely at home buried in books about witchcraft. I was blessed to be surrounded by cherished friendships in my early adulthood, kindred spirits who encouraged me to embrace and explore the magical path that called to me. I’ve since found a strong relationship with herbal magic, paying mindful attention to the sustenance and care of my body as a temple of natural magic. My journey is shared with my husband, and together we guide our children to appreciate the beauty and magic of Mother Earth, fostering in them a budding interest in witchcraft and the natural world. Beyond my magical practices, I express my creativity through baking, indulge in the art of tea, and explore expression through writing, art, and tattoos. At my core, I am a believer in the empowering essence of the divine, dark feminine power that guides me through life.