This is so totally not the “Mexican Halloween.” Dia Del Muerte is not at all a celebration of death, but of life. In pre-Spanish Invasion days, people buried the dead close to, if not under, the house. It was way important to remember the dead, and respect them.
Then along came the Spanish Catholics, who brought “All Soul’s Day” with them. The Mexicans blended the two, and presto! Dia Del Muerte.
The celebration is actually 2 days long. It is believed that the souls of departed babies & children return on the first day (November 1) and stay for 24 hours. The kids leave, the adult souls drop in, and the party begins.
During the celebration, trips are made to the cemetery to clean and decorate the graves of loved ones. Most families also set up an offerenda or altar in their homes for their dead relatives. The Mexicans are quick to point out that this altar is not for worship, but showing their love for the deceased people. This is where they place items owned by the dead as well as pictures. They put out special food, so the dearly departed can eat after their long journey back to Earth, and they will even include bowls of water and razors, so the souls can “clean up” after their Journey.
Although there are some customs I don’t quite agree with (like the stuff so the souls can clean up), if I have to choose between Halloween and Dia Del Muerte, I pick the DDM celebrations every time. The skull, so prevalent in Dia Del Muerte celebrations, is not a symbol of death, but of life. There is no blood, guts, and gore. The whole holiday is not about fear, death, and mayhem, a la Halloween. It’s about remembering your loved ones, about life, and about love.