Dia de los Muertos :: How and Why You Should Celebrate the Day of the Dead

In full disclosure, I am an outsider to this beloved holiday and tradition of Dia de los Muertos. But it is one that my family will begin celebrating in our own respectful way.

Even though I am half Hispanic, this holiday was never something we participated in. Last year, my grandmother, Feliz de la Cerda, passed away and I had this yearning to learn more about her and her family. A few months later we watched the hit film Coco, and my husband and I decided we should find our own way to celebrate such a special holiday.

While Dia de los Muertos focuses on death, it is not a time to mourn but to celebrate our ancestors. It is a time to reminisce and honor those who have gone before us.

Bright and bold colors, lively music and delicious food add to the festivities. And at the center of your celebration is an ofrenda, or an altar. Not to worship your ancestors, but to pay respect to them.

So while you may not be of Hispanic heritage, this is still a wonderful opportunity learn more about your family. Here are some simple ways you can participate in the holiday on November 2nd:

1) Gather stories

One of the best ways to remember your ancestors is to talk about them. Write down what you loved about them, their talents, their likes and dislikes. If you have their journals or stories that they’ve written, share them. Ask your other family members what they remember about your ancestors. A wonderful and FREE resource to build your family tree and store photos and stories is through Family Search. I have learned so much about my family from using this website as a resource.

2) Make an ofrenda

The basic concept of an ofrenda is that you place pictures of your loved ones who have passed away, flowers (traditionally marigolds) and foods that your loved ones once enjoyed on a table or stand. I plan to place pictures of my grandparents who have passed away on one of our tables with some brightly colored flowers and a few dishes that I know my grandparents once enjoyed.

This will be a very tangible way that my small children can participate. I plan to have them help me make the food and decorate our ofrenda while sharing some of my favorite memories about my grandparents.

3) Visit gravesites

This is a tradition among most when celebrating Dia de los Muertos. Family members will often gather at the graves to clean and decorate the headstones while sharing stories about their loved ones who have passed.

4) Attend a local parade or festival

Dallas offers several events surrounding dia de los muertos. The Latino Community Center hosts their annual celebration as well as Crown Hill Memorial Park in Northwest Dallas. For a list of upcoming events, visit here.

I hope you will consider finding a way to celebrate such a unique and family-centered holiday. If anything, watch Coco and from the words of Miguel remember, “Nothing is more important than family.”