It is sometimes said that El Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is the Mexican Halloween. It’s not. The two holidays are not even related. In Mexico and the Southwest U.S., the holiday features celebrations of family and friends to honor relatives and close friends who have died. The holiday occurs on November 1st and 2nd and is closely connected to the Catholic celebration of All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). The Day(s) of the Dead traditions include visiting grave sites and building private altars to honor the deceased that include sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. Our article about it on Fiery Foods & Barbecue Central explains the celebration and offers a menu and traditional recipes for Bread of the Dead, Pork and Red Chile Tamales, and Mole Coloradito. Below is a Day of the Dead cartoon that’s more than a hundred years old.
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- “GRAN CALAVERA ELÉCTRICA” (GRAND ELECTRIC SKULL) BY JOSÉ GUADALUPE POSADA, C. 1900.
