How to make a Day of the Dead offering
The Day of the Dead is one of the most important celebrations in Mexico, which every November 2 gathers millions of people in order to pay tribute to those who have physically disappeared, but who return to the earth on this date to visit their loved ones and descendants. This is why during this typically Mexican party, the offerings to the deceased are so important. Do you want to celebrate this party ?, in .com we explain how to make an offering of the day of the dead .
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Each altar of the dead will be different depending on the region of Mexico where you are, so in we will explain the elements that can not be missing, taking into account that the decorative aspects will be especially to each person's taste or according to the tradition that prevails in the area where he lives.
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To start making your Day of the Dead offering you must choose a base for your altar . The easiest way to do it is to opt for a stable table, although you can also create a special structure for the occasion if you do not have any table that you like.
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The levels are a fundamental part of your Day of the Dead offering . Traditionally the altars have three levels to represent the sky, the earth and the underworld, but there are those who perform them from seven levels seeking to represent the different states through which the human soul could pass once we die.
To start you could choose the three levels. Prepare the altar using cardboard boxes of three different sizes on top of each other, wooden boxes or fruit boxes. Do not worry much about the appearance because later you can use a tablecloth to cover them and thus have your three levels.
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As we mentioned before, it is time to cover the levels, and this is where the color so characteristic of the Day of the Dead celebration comes in . You can use as a base an embroidered white tablecloth and then place over several tablecloths of colors also embroidered. Lilac or purple, pink, yellow or orange are the most popular options. You can also choose to place only colorful tablecloths, as in the previous image.
Other people choose to decorate their levels with papel picado in representation of the air, an element present in the offerings of the Day of the Dead. This is one of the most typical forms that are achieved in Mexico.
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Once your altar is armed you must include the traditional elements that can not be missing in your Day of the Dead offering. The first one is the cempasúchil flowers, which are used to make bouquets, bows and also to guide the dead towards their offering. Its presence in any altar is essential.
With these flowers we will decorate our altar in the way we like: in small bouquets, placed loose on the altar, with its petals on the levels or decorating an arch on top of the altar, an ideal option if you intend to make an offering of the day of the dead more elaborate.
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Other elements that can not be missing in your Day of the Dead offering are:
- A photo or photos of the deceased will always be placed on the upper level of the altar
- Pan de muerto, a traditional dish that is offered to the deceased and also consumed during this celebration
- Sugar skulls, very typical of this holiday together with glasses of water for the deceased to drink and to represent this natural element
- Incense and elements in purple or purple, a tone related to death that should not be missed in this Mexican celebration
- Candles, which represent fire and guide souls
- The deceased's favorite food and typical Mexican sweets in the case of the soul of a small
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Following these indications, you will be able to make your Day of the Dead offering in a beautiful and colorful way, worthy representation of this wonderful Mexican celebration.
