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The Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos, is a very old holiday observed on November 2, when all souls of the dead are believed to return to the world of the living. It’s primarily celebrated in Mexico and in Mexican-American communities, honoring those who have deceased. Practiced initially by Indigenous cultures, Día de Muertos was later adopted by the Catholic faith (after the Spanish arrived in the 16th century) to coincide with All Souls’ Day.

During this special time, many families visit and decorate graves; some hold intimate family gatherings and create special altars (ofrendas) to remember and honor those who passed away with photos of their deceased loved ones and their favorite foods and drinks.

The Day of the Dead has become more prevalent in today’s culture, thanks to modern movies (such as Coco or James Bond) and Halloween’s popularity, as well as larger Mexican-American communities celebrating with colorful parades and processions. Sweet pastries such as Pan de Muerto, or bread of the dead (made in the shape of a skull) are traditions, as are sugary chocolate skulls. Bright flowers decorate the stalls and streets; the marigold is the symbolic flower as its bright yellow-orange petals (like the brightly-colored costumes) are beacons to welcome the souls of the dead as they return home. 

November comes from the Latin word novem, meaning “nine,” because it was the ninth month of the early Roman calendar.

In Western Christianity, All Saints’ Day is celebrated on November 1. (In the Eastern Orthodox Church and others, it is observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost.) This is the day when all the saints are honored, especially those who do not have a day of their own. It’s also a family day to honor the memory of family members, visiting the graves of deceased relatives and lighting candles in remembrance. The Christian church often observes All Saints’ Day with a reading of the Beatitudes. Among the eight blessings, the best known may be: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

As the Roman Empire spread across Celt-occupied lands in the 1st century A.D., the Romans incorporated many of the Celtic traditions, including Samhain, from which the holiday Halloween developed. Around 800 years later, the Roman Catholic Church further modified Samhain, designating November 1 as All Saints’ Day. As All Saints’ Day was formerly known as All Hallowmas, the evening, or e’en” before the feast became popularly known as “All Hallow’s Even” or even shorter, “Hallowe’en”. (Hallow meaning to sanctify or make holy. Saints or holy people are called “hallowed.”)

All Saints’ Day is observed in Latin America as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations. Relatives often visit the graves of their loved ones on this day bringing flowers, lights, and deceased’s favorite foods to the cemetery. In some countries, a common practice is to make or fry sweet dough, in the shape of donuts or braided strands or rolls.