The word ‘death’ connotates a dark feeling to most people. It means a fear of the unknown, a fear of something we can’t see. However, in some Latin American and Spanish cultures, death is celebrated, not feared. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated in Mexico to honor and remember those who have passed away. Celebrators believe that on November 1st, the gates of Heaven are opened at midnight.

Although it is Mexico’s national holiday, Guatemala, Brazil, Spain, and Mexican-American communities also celebrate the Day of the Dead. According to common belief, the spirits of the children who have passed are allowed to reunite with their loved ones for 24 hours on November 1st. On November 2nd, the spirits of the adults may come for another 24 hours. To welcome the spirits, families build altars in their homes decorated with candles, flowers, fruits, nuts, and the deceased’s favorite foods. In addition, they also add pictures of those who are deceased.

As stated by the Washington Post, “On the Day of the Dead, the dead are remembered, not feared. You may see a lot of spooky skeleton decorations around Halloween, alongside pictures of sharp-toothed vampires and ghosts that say ‘boo’, but in Mexico and in Mexican American communities across the United States, stylized skulls and bones are a sign of something different.” In the Mexican and Spanish Culture, these stylized skulls and bones represent not a fear of death and the unknown, but rather, a celebration of life and even life after death.”

In the morning, before the celebration, families make the food for the family and the returning spirits. One of the many treats made for this celebration is pan de muerto or “Dead Bread.” Sugar Skulls are another popular treat and craft for the younger children. Made primarily from sugar and shaped into miniature skulls, these little treats are then decorated with colorful candies and frosting and consumed.

In the afternoon, the celebration is taken to the cemetery. There, the families clean tombs, play games, dance and make cultural food to remember those who passed. People also dress up in colorful outfits and wear skull-masks.

The cultural celebration of Dia de los Muertos has even spread to the heart of Colorado. Mrs. Ellis’s Spanish class recently celebrated Day of the Dead, during which students made their own sugar skulls out of paper plates and beautiful marigold flowers out of colorful paper.

Mrs. Ellis says she loves the art involved in Day of the Dead and appreciates the idea behind it all. To her, Day of the Dead is all about celebrating the lives of your family with food and art. She commented that she especially loves the iconic sugar skulls.

She describes that everyone gets excited about Dia de los Muertos before and during the actual celebration.  She says the biggest difference between Halloween and Day of the Dead is that it is about celebrating those who passed, whereas Halloween is simply dressing up as the dead. “It’s not a sad event at all, it is joyful and happy. They’re excited to honor those who passed.” said Ellis.

Mrs. Ellis sees Day of the Dead as a very therapeutic celebration to help make death easier. To the celebrators, death is a good thing and is not something to be feared.

The more common Halloween celebration is actual based of the cultural celebration of Dia de los Muertos, but Halloween has come to mean something entirely different than the Day of the Dead has come to mean. Halloween as celebrated in the American culture is more based on the fear of death, not the celebration of life.

Dia de los Muertos still holds significant meaning for members of multiple cultures, even though the celebration originated more than 3,000 years ago. It has come to symbolize the joy of life, and even the celebration of death