Dia de Muertos, 2026
A Catrina (photo courtesy of Shannon Pixley Sheppard)
My favorite fiesta in Mexico is Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos). I love it because the neighborhood streets fill with families and their children going door-to-door to beg for candy. The roads are so packed that traffic is blocked in some areas. And I love seeing the grand altars and sculpture parks erected and shown just at this time of the year. It seems to me a much healthier way to deal with death than western culture.
All Saints' Day is November 1, and in Mexico, this day is dedicated to deceased children. This is the night that families go out with their children. Some homes have fires out in front on the street inviting the sprits to come and get warm.
All Souls' Day is November 2, and this is for adults who have died. This is a celebration where families gather at their plot in the cemetery to decorate it and have food, drink, and music.
In Tepoztlán, as with some other holidays, these celebrations are repeated a week later.
Origins
Wikipedia describes the academic debate around the history of the Day of the Dead. Is it Aztec, or from Spain, or some of each? I think it is a mixture.
Many days during the year were dedicated to the dead by the Aztecs. On October 20 through November 8, they had altars near the burial grounds for warriors recently slain in battle to help them in their journey to the afterlife. Mixcoātl, the god of war, was honored at this time.
Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico's 51st president, from 1934 to 1940, played a significant role in transforming the Day of the Dead into a national symbol of Mexican identity, emphasizing its Indigenous roots and promoting it as a cultural celebration. His efforts helped distance the holiday from strict Catholic observance, integrating it into a broader narrative of Mexican nationalism
Although many Mexicans also celebrate Halloween at this time, the locals in Tepoztlán consider it a bastardization of their Day of the Dead.
Currently it is celebrated in Mexican communities all over the world. Everywhere the local celebrations take on a slightly different tone with different customs.
Traditions
Although the peak nights are November 1st and 2nd, some segments come a week or two earlier. And in Tepoztlán, it is repeated on the 8th and 9th.
Two days before the main celebration is a major parade down the main street, with all sorts of wonderful costumes. Some are very ephemeral, lasting only for that night. This quality beckons us to remember how life, too, is transitory--one of the main lessons of Day of the Dead. Unique to the state of Morelos, the home of Tepoztlán, are the dancing Chinelos, who are featured in the parade. You can learn more about the Chinelos here and see videos of them dancing. Scroll down to the appropriate subheading.
The Catrina is a prominent symbol of Day of the Dead activities. She is shown in the lead in photo for this article. This video features one playing violin:
Here are a couple of kids who came to my door begging for treats:
The original Catrina was generated by the lithographer, José Guadalupe Posada, around 1910-1913, as a satirical image mocking Mexicans who adopted European fashions and denied their Indigenous heritage. Diego Rivera, the famous Mexican mural painter and husband of Frida Kahlo, added very fancy clothing to make the image more like it is today.
Most costumes today feature very elaborate dress with the Catrina white face, but there are a few other types, as in this photo:
It's comforting to eat something sweet when grieving the dead. Hence the custom of giving kids candy. I try to be more original, providing a healthier snack. It took a lot of time for me to prepare individual small bags of popcorn to hand out. Here are two versions of a traditional chant the kids offer to ask for the treats:
If you want to watch an entertaining full-length animated video with a Day of the Dead theme, I recommend Walt Disney's Coco. At first Mexicans thought that their culture was robbed, but then saw how sensitive and authentic it was and changed their minds.
Home altars have photos of departed loved ones and are decorated with flowers and candles. Items to be consumed by the visiting spirits are also offered. The altars are called offrendas. Here is how I decorated my doorway leading to the altar in my apartment:
The central plaza (Zocalo) in town (Centro) has items for sale to prepare for the celebration:
The kiosk at the center of the Zocalo has altars:
Some locations feature large and extravagant altars, like the one at this hotel:
We've seen a lot of what happens on November 1st, All Saints' Day. On the 2nd, All Souls Day, families gather at the cemetery to spend the night celebrating those who died, with music, food, and drink:
On the Streets
As I mentioned earlier, the streets are filled with people, mostly young parents with their children and with other young people old enough to be unaccompanied. Here are a series of short videos illustrating the joy and colorful variety--
Here are two photos--the first a foursome at my door, and the second, a unique flashing skull greeting visitors to a home on my block:
As you've seen, Day of the Dead is a time of celebrating the richness of life while noticing its fleeting nature. For me this holiday shows the vibrancy of Mexican culture. If you'd like to learn more please see my prior article here. And although I've provided you with a picture of what it's like, nothing beats experiencing this time in person. If you've never been to this festival, please plan to visit in 2027, at this time of year. See if we can help you by consulting with our site below.
And I'll leave you with this entertaining musical interlude:
