While the idea of celebrating death might strike a morbid chord for some people in the United States, for us it's a way to celebrate the lives of our deceased loved ones and honor their memories through food, music, photos, and brightly colored altars. Since then, it has become one of my very favorite holidays and traditions - one that my children and I look forward to each year. They were tasked with bringing photos and mementos of their loved ones while I prepared some of my favorite family recipes. Inspired by the lively celebrations in Old Town, I built my Día de los Muertos altar and invited friends and family to join in on the festivities. How to build a Day of the Dead altar Yvette explains the elements for an altar and this wonderful Mexican tradition. Over ten years ago, while living in San Diego, I created my first home altar to honor my father. This flower, used since ancient times for its medicinal properties, brings a unique color to the shrine that makes the spirits feel joyful and peaceful. Nowadays on November 1st and 2nd the living honor the dead by visiting gravesites, building altars, and preparing their favorite foods in order to encourage a visit to the terrestrial world. Also known as the Aztec marigold, or flor the muertos in Spanish, Cempasúchitl has become one of the most important icons of the Day of the Dead celebrations. Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is rooted in Mesoamerican culture and was likely first observed by the Aztecs in festivals that celebrated the ruler of the underworld, Mictecacihuatl.
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