Day of the Dead is a two-day celebration in November to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away. Many people think that Halloween and the Day of the Dead are the same thing. This is understandable because there are similarities between the two holidays. Both are celebrated around the same time - Halloween at the end of October (the 31st) and Day of the Dead at the beginning of November (the 1st and 2nd) - both have elements that some might categorize as creepy or ghoulish, and both have longstanding traditions, but Day of the Dead and Halloween are not the same. On the Day of the Dead, it is believed that the world of the living and the world of the dead are no longer separated so the dead are then able to visit the living, but only for a brief period. Afterwards, the worlds between the two separate once more and the dead return to their world.
Day of the Dead is steeped in Mexican culture, but it’s not only celebrated in Mexico. It’s celebrated in many other Latin countries as well, such as Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Peru, to name a few, though the way it is celebrated, and the name of the holiday may differ. The origins of Day of the Dead started 3,000 years ago. It was believed that the dead traveled to a place where their souls would be able to rest. The ruler of this place was represented by a skull, and the journey to this place was a difficult one. The Aztecs and Nahua people would remember and honor the dead by having festivals where they would provide food and drink for them to help them on their journey, and that evolved into the current way Day of the Dead is celebrated now.
While the dead are able to visit, they are honored by the living in many ways. One of the ways is by making the favorite foods of the departed loved one and leaving them at their graves. Another way they are honored is with an ofrenda (Spanish for offering). An ofrenda is an altar in the home, and the departed’s favorite food may be placed there in addition to pictures or items that belonged to the departed. Festivals and parades also are often held where people dress in costumes and paint their faces with makeup to resemble calavera (Spanish for skull). These skulls are usually brightly colored and are represented in a variety of ways such as in art and food. The skulls are so popular and iconic that they have somewhat become a symbol for the holiday itself.
Day of the Dead is a special holiday. It is a joyful, happy time. It is not ghoulish or scary. It is a time for honoring and remembering loved ones who have passed away but it’s also a time for creating memories and strengthening our bonds with our loved ones who are among the living. Shop our skull earrings and wear them in celebration of the holiday and what it represents.