El Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a national holiday in Mexico, celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November. This commemorative holiday honors those who have died with beautifully colorful decorations of flowers, candles, altars, and more.
One year, I was able to experience Día de los Muertos in its place of origin. I walked into the Panteón de Dolores (the largest cemetery in Mexico) and was blown away by the eerie beauty. The cemetery had become a gorgeous, candlelit party ground, full of people singing, dancing, crying, and laughing–all emotions were represented; families shared food around their loved one's graves, mariachis played crowd favorites, and the air was filled with an energy of celebration.
El Día de los Muertos is thousands of years old and has its roots in the pre-Hispanic ceremonies of indigenous Mexicans, most notably the Aztecs. To them, death defined and illuminated life; they complement each other and just as death comes from life, so life comes from death. This ancient custom of honoring of the dead has become a lasting tradition in Mexico, and is also celebrated in the U.S. as well as across the world.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Sun Valley Group's Flower Talk
