November 2 – Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead is Today!

HOW TO CELEBRATE DAY OF THE DEAD STEP-BY-STEP

•  Create an altar of deceased family members with photos along with their favorite food and drink.
•  Buy Day of the Dead decorations and things.
•  Make Pan de Muerto, a traditional Mexican sweet bread for the holiday.
•  Day of the Dead festivals in the U.S.
•  100 Day of the Dead crafts from Crafty Chica.
•  If you love the article image, purchase it on these fun products on Zazzle!

FEATURED ITEM ON DAY OF THE DEAD

The Day of the Dead is a time to remember and honor those who have passed away. But it’s also a time to celebrate life, and to enjoy the company of family and friends. And what better way to do that than with food? Of course, no Day of the Dead feast would be complete without some traditional Mexican dishes. But don’t be afraid to mix things up a bit. After all, the dead are gone, so they’re not going to be picky about what you serve. So go ahead and indulge in your favorite foods. Just be sure to save some for the spirits of your loved ones. They’ll be sure to appreciate it.

DAY OF THE DEAD:  A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DAY OF THE DEAD

The exact origins of the holiday are unknown, but it is believed to have started as a way to honor the dead in ancient Mexico.  One of the most iconic symbols of the Day of the Dead is La Catrina, a skeleton lady who is often depicted in elaborate dress and makeup. According to legend, La Catrina was once a living woman who was so obsessed with her own beauty that she refused to accept death when her time came. As a result, she was cursed to wander the earth as a skeletal ghost.

Today, she is a popular Day of the Dead figure, and her image can be seen in everything from paintings and sculptures to sugar skulls and floats.  Over time, the holiday evolved and began to incorporate elements of Catholicism. Today, the Day of the Dead is celebrated all over Mexico and parts of the United States.

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE DAY OF THE DEAD

1. Altar Building: Construct an altar adorned with marigolds, candles, photos, and offerings to honor deceased loved ones.
2. Sugar Skull Decorating: Decorate sugar skulls with colorful icing and embellishments to celebrate life and death.
3. Face Painting: Paint your face with traditional Day of the Dead designs, like skull makeup or intricate floral patterns.
4. Candlelight Vigil: Hold a candlelight vigil to remember and honor those who have passed away.
5. Mexican Cuisine Cooking Class: Take a cooking class to learn how to prepare traditional Mexican dishes associated with Day of the Dead.
6. Marigold Flower Crown Making: Create vibrant flower crowns using marigolds, a symbol of remembrance in Mexican culture.
7. Poetry Reading: Read poetry or prose that reflects on life, death, and the cycle of existence.
8. Mask Making Workshop: Join a workshop to craft decorative masks inspired by Mexican folklore and traditions.
9. Community Parade: Participate in or attend a colorful parade featuring music, dance, and elaborate costumes to celebrate Day of the Dead.
10. Storytelling Circle: Gather with friends or family to share stories and memories of loved ones who have passed away.
11. Traditional Music Concert: Attend a concert featuring traditional Mexican music and songs associated with Day of the Dead.
12. Skeleton Puppet Show: Enjoy a puppet show featuring whimsical skeleton characters and tales of the afterlife.
13. Paper Craft Workshop: Learn how to make papel picado (cut paper) banners and other decorative crafts associated with Day of the Dead.
14. Outdoor Picnic: Have a picnic at a cemetery or other meaningful location, bringing along favorite foods and drinks to share.
15. Guided Cemetery Tour: Take a guided tour of a local cemetery to learn about its history and significance in Day of the Dead celebrations.
16. Art Exhibition: Visit an art exhibition featuring works inspired by Day of the Dead themes, including paintings, sculptures, and mixed media.
17. Film Screening: Host a film screening of movies that explore themes of life, death, and remembrance in Mexican culture.
18. Community Ofrenda Display: Visit a community ofrenda (altar) display featuring elaborate and colorful offerings dedicated to the deceased.
19. Memory Box Creation: Create a memory box filled with mementos, photos, and keepsakes to honor and remember loved ones.
20. Traditional Dance Workshop: Learn traditional Mexican dances, such as the Danza de los Viejitos or La Calavera Catrina dance, in a workshop setting.
21. Outdoor Candlelit Dinner: Host a candlelit dinner outdoors, surrounded by candles, flowers, and photographs of loved ones.
22. Nighttime Stargazing: Spend an evening stargazing and reflecting on the cycle of life under the night sky.
23. Family Reunion: Gather with family members for a reunion to reconnect and celebrate the memories of departed loved ones.
24. Remembrance Circle: Form a circle with friends or family members to share stories, memories, and reflections on those who have passed away.
25. Community Service: Volunteer your time at a local charity or organization in honor of Day of the Dead, helping those in need as a way to honor the spirits of the deceased.
26. Calavera Bingo: Play a game of bingo featuring traditional Day of the Dead symbols and imagery.
27. Sugar Skull Piñata: Take turns breaking open a piñata shaped like a sugar skull filled with candy and treats.
28. Skeleton Scavenger Hunt: Hide skeleton-themed items around the house or yard for players to find in a scavenger hunt.
29. Marigold Ring Toss: Set up a ring toss game using marigold flowers as targets to honor the significance of marigolds in Day of the Dead celebrations.
30. Papel Picado Memory Game: Play a memory game with papel picado (cut paper) banners, matching pairs of colorful designs.
31. Candlelight Limbo: Dance and limbo under a string of candles to the beat of festive music, adding an extra challenge to the traditional game.
32. Skeleton Relay Race: Divide into teams and race while carrying plastic skeleton props, passing them to teammates in a relay-style race.
33. Face Painting Contest: Have a face painting contest where participants compete to create the most creative and intricate Day of the Dead-inspired designs.
34. Altar Trivia: Test your knowledge of Day of the Dead traditions and customs with a trivia game focused on altar symbolism and significance.
35. Día de los Muertos Charades: Act out Day of the Dead-related words, phrases, and traditions in a lively game of charades.
36. Mexican Lottery (Lotería): Play a game of Lotería, a traditional Mexican game similar to bingo but featuring colorful images and illustrations.
37. Skeleton Pin the Tail: Put a Day of the Dead twist on the classic party game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” by using a skeleton image instead.
38. Candlelight Storytelling: Gather around candlelight and take turns sharing spooky or humorous stories inspired by Day of the Dead folklore.
39. Altar Decoration Contest: Host a friendly competition to see who can create the most elaborate and meaningful Day of the Dead altar.
40. Votive Candle Relay: Race to light votive candles and place them on an altar, emphasizing the importance of candles in Day of the Dead rituals.
41. Skull Bean Bag Toss: Toss bean bags into holes or targets decorated with skull designs in a fun and festive bean bag toss game.
42. Sugar Skull Decorating Contest: Decorate sugar skull-shaped cookies or ornaments, and vote for the most creative and colorful designs.
43. Skeleton Puzzle Race: Race against the clock to complete skeleton-themed puzzles, either individually or in teams.
44. Altar Blessing Ceremony: Hold a ceremonial blessing of the altar, where participants take turns offering prayers or blessings for deceased loved ones.
45. Flower Petal Matching Game: Scatter marigold petals or other flowers on a table and challenge players to match pairs in a memory-style game.
46. Day of the Dead Trivia: Test your knowledge of Day of the Dead history, traditions, and symbolism with a themed trivia quiz.
47. Cemetery Bingo: Visit a cemetery and play bingo using tombstone shapes and symbols commonly found in graveyards.
48. Skeleton Balloon Pop: Attach prizes or treats to balloons and let players pop them with darts or pins, revealing surprises inside.
49. Altar Offering Relay: Race to gather symbolic offerings, such as water, salt, and incense, and place them on an altar in a relay-style game.
50. Musical Marigold Chairs: Play a musical chairs game with marigold flowers instead of chairs, removing one flower with each round of music until only one player remains.
51. Sugar Skull Magnets: Create vibrant sugar skull magnets using air-dry clay and acrylic paints.
52. Papel Picado Banners: Cut intricate papel picado banners from colored tissue paper to decorate your home.
53. Marigold Garland: String together marigold flowers to make a colorful garland, symbolizing remembrance and celebration.
54. Skeleton Candle Holders: Paint and decorate empty glass jars to resemble skeleton figures, perfect for holding votive candles.
55. Altar Shadow Box: Construct a shadow box altar with miniature offerings and photographs of loved ones to honor their memory.
56. Calavera Masks: Design and decorate calavera masks using paper mache or cardstock for a festive and traditional touch.
57. Day of the Dead Wreath: Make a wreath using artificial flowers, colorful ribbons, and skull ornaments to hang on your door.
58. Paper Mache Skulls: Mold paper mache into skull shapes and paint them with intricate designs and patterns.
59. Candle Jar Lanterns: Transform glass jars into lanterns by painting them with Day of the Dead motifs and placing candles inside.
60. Skeleton Wind Chimes: Craft wind chimes using skeleton-shaped beads and metal charms for a playful and musical decoration.
61. Mini Altar Shrine: Build a miniature altar shrine using cardboard or wood and decorate it with symbolic items and photos.
62. Calavera Suncatchers: Make colorful suncatchers in the shape of skulls using translucent paper and markers.
63. Floral Skull Centerpiece: Arrange fresh or artificial flowers around a skull-shaped vase to create a stunning centerpiece.
64. Memory Box: Decorate a wooden box with Day of the Dead designs and use it to store mementos and keepsakes.
65. Skeleton Hand Candle Holder: Mold air-dry clay into a skeleton hand shape to hold taper candles for a spooky yet elegant touch.
66. Felt Skull Ornaments: Cut skull shapes from felt and embellish them with sequins, beads, and embroidery thread to hang around your home.
67. Altar Cloth: Sew or paint a colorful fabric altar cloth featuring Day of the Dead symbols and motifs.
68. Paper Marigold Bouquet: Create a bouquet of paper marigold flowers using tissue paper and wire stems.
69. Skull Pin Cushion: Sew a skull-shaped pin cushion using felt or fabric and fill it with stuffing for a practical yet thematic craft.
70. Memory Candle: Decorate a pillar candle with images and words honoring loved ones and light it as a symbol of remembrance.
71. Skeleton Garland: String together paper or felt skeleton shapes to make a festive garland to hang across a room or doorway.
72. Altar Clay Figurines: Sculpt small clay figurines representing deceased loved ones and place them on your Day of the Dead altar.
73. Skull Mosaic Frame: Decorate a picture frame with mosaic tiles in vibrant colors, forming skull patterns and designs.
74. Day of the Dead Lanterns: Craft lanterns using mason jars and tissue paper cutouts to create colorful and luminous decorations.
75. Felt Sugar Skull Banner: Sew or glue felt sugar skull shapes onto a string to make a decorative banner for your home.
76. Pan de Muerto: Bake traditional sweet bread shaped like skulls or bones, often flavored with orange zest and anise.
77. Mole Poblano: Prepare a rich and savory mole sauce, typically served over chicken or turkey, symbolizing the blending of life and death.
78. Tamales: Make savory tamales filled with meats, vegetables, or cheese, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves.
79. Atole: Prepare a warm and comforting corn-based beverage flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar).
80. Calabaza en Tacha: Cook sweet pumpkin or squash simmered in a syrup made from piloncillo, cinnamon, and cloves until tender.
81. Pozole: Simmer hominy corn with pork or chicken, seasoned with chilies and spices, for a hearty and flavorful soup.
82. Tortillas de Maíz: Make homemade corn tortillas, a staple of Mexican cuisine, to accompany savory dishes.
83. Champurrado: Brew a thick and creamy chocolate-infused atole, perfect for warming up on chilly evenings.
84. Enchiladas Suizas: Prepare enchiladas filled with chicken, cheese, and topped with a creamy green sauce made from tomatillos and cream.
85. Chiles en Nogada: Stuff poblano peppers with a mixture of ground meat, fruits, and nuts, then top with a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds.
86. Pumpkin Empanadas: Bake flaky pastry turnovers filled with spiced pumpkin or sweet potato filling.
87. Arroz con Leche: Cook creamy rice pudding flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, a comforting dessert enjoyed during Day of the Dead festivities.
88. Tostadas de Tinga: Prepare crispy tostadas topped with shredded chicken cooked in a smoky chipotle tomato sauce.
89. Capirotada: Make a traditional Mexican bread pudding layered with bread, cheese, nuts, and dried fruits, drizzled with sweet syrup.
90. Camarones a la Diabla: Cook spicy shrimp in a fiery red chili sauce, served with rice and beans.
91. Sopes: Prepare thick corn masa cakes topped with refried beans, meats, cheese, and salsa.
92. Champiñones al Ajillo: Saute mushrooms with garlic, chili flakes, and parsley for a flavorful and aromatic appetizer.
93. Flan: Bake creamy caramel custard flavored with vanilla and served chilled as a classic dessert.
94. Carnitas: Slow-cook pork until tender and crispy, perfect for stuffing tacos, burritos, or tamales.
95. Guacamole: Mash ripe avocados with lime juice, cilantro, onion, and jalapeño for a creamy and flavorful dip.
96. Sopa de Lima: Prepare a tangy and aromatic Mexican lime soup, typically made with chicken broth, lime juice, and tortilla strips.
97. Pastel de Tres Leches: Bake a light and moist sponge cake soaked in a mixture of three milks (evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream).
98. Quesadillas: Grill or fry tortillas filled with cheese, meats, and vegetables until golden and crispy.
99. Camotes en Dulce: Boil sweet potatoes until tender, then simmer them in a syrup flavored with cinnamon and piloncillo.
100. Churros: Fry crispy dough strips coated in cinnamon sugar, served with chocolate dipping sauce for a sweet treat.

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Do you have any ideas about how to celebrate Day of the Dead?  Please share them!