

Collect the materials for the structure: You can either use a small table and cover it with fabric or build the ofrenda using the following supplies:.Here is a list of materials and guiding steps to craft your ofrenda. Families also take the celebration as an opportunity to talk about their ancestors and teach the next generation their cultural traditions.ģ Fun Facts About Día de los Muertos to Share With Your Kids | PBS SoCalĪn ofrenda is a beautiful expression of love to commemorate those who hold a special place in our hearts, and it can be simple or elaborate. People also place food, water and special mementos on the altar to call on spirits. The list of things that can go on the altar is extensive, but ofrendas are generally adorned with carefully arranged photos of dead loved ones, cempasúchil flowers (marigolds), candles and pan de muerto, a special bread made to resemble bones.

To remember and celebrate, families build ofrendas in cemeteries or their homes. As the practice fused with Spanish influence, the tradition grew into the celebrations that still occur today in several Latin American countries and, increasingly, in the U.S. For centuries, the Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica gathered to call on the spirits who traveled from the inframundo (underworld) to return home. 1 and 2, is a time when people celebrate, rather than mourn, their loved ones who have died. It felt like the perfect way to introduce our then-1 and 6-year-old children to their Mexican roots and culture.ĭía de los Muertos, an annual autumnal gathering on Nov.
#MAKING A DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR FREE#
My family began celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) when our local Long Beach library offered free kits to make ofrendas (offerings/altars) at home during the pandemic in 2020.
