Awakening Lotus

Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos (Spanish) celebrates the memories of those who have passed. Family and friends visit cemeteries to be with the Souls of the departed where they clean and decorate graves, building alters with offerings which include orange Mexican marigolds, trinkets, sugar skulls, candied pumpkin called "bread of the dead", favorite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed as welcome gestures. It is believed that the departed Souls eat the "spiritual essence" of the offered food and then the Celebrators eat what is left but know that there is no nutritional value.Pillows and blankets are also left out so that the deceased can rest after their long journey. The intent is to encourage the Souls to visit so that they hear the prayers of the living. Celebrations often take a humorous tone where funny events or anecdotes are shared about the departed. In some parts of Mexico, people picnic or spend all night beside the graves of their relatives.

Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes with Christian crosses, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of the deceased, candles and offerings. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling stories about the deceased. In some locations, Celebrants wear shells so that when they dance, the noise will wake the dead. Some will also dress like the deceased.

A common symbol is the skull which Celebrants represent in masks and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain round to skulls or rabbits and are often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones.

José Guadalupe Posada created a famous image of a figure that he called La Calavera de la Catrina ("calavera of the female dandy") as a parody of a Mexican upper class female. Posada's striking image of a costumed female with a skeleton face has become associated with the Day of the Dead with Catrina figures being a prominent part of Day of the Dead festivities.

In most regions of Mexico, 1 November honors children and infants, known as the "Day of the Innocents" or "Day of the Little Angels" and toys are presented to the Souls of the Children who have passed. Whereas deceased adults are honored on 2 November, "Day of the Dead" with bottles of tequila.

Public schools at all levels build altars with offerings but usually omitting the religious symbols. Government offices usually have at least a small altar because this holiday is important to the Mexican heritage.

The traditions often vary from town to town eg in the town of Pátzcuaro, the tradition is very different if the deceased is a Child rather than an Adult: on 1 November the year after a child's passing, the Godparents set a table in the Parents' home with sweets, fruits, a cross, a rosary (used to ask the Virgin Mary to pray for them) and candles. This is meant to celebrate the child's life with respect and appreciation for the Parents. There is dancing with colorful costumes, often with skull and devil masks in the plaza or garden of the town. At midnight on 2 November candles are lite and the townsfolk ride winged boats called mariposas (Spanish for "butterflies") to Janitzio, an island in the middle of the lake, where there is a cemetery.

In some parts of the country, children wear costumes and roam the streets, knocking on people's doors for small gifts of candy or money. Some people believe that possessing Day of the Dead items can bring good luck. Many people get tattoos or have dolls of the dead to carry with them.

In Aztec mythology, Mictecacihuatl (pronounced 'Mikt-eyk-as-see-wahl') is Queen of the underworld and rules over the afterlife. Her role is to keep watch over the bones of the dead. She presided over the ancient festivals of the dead, which evolved from Aztec traditions into the modern Day of the Dead after synthesis with Spanish cultural traditions. Mictecacihuatl is known as the Lady of the Dead, since it is believed that she was born, then sacrificed as an infant. Mictecacihuatl is represented with a defleshed body and jaw agape to swallow the stars during the day. In pre-Hispanic era, it was common to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth.

This holiday is celebrated in Mexico, Brazil and Spain to coincide with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, 1-2 November. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, with themed celebrations occuring in many Asian and African cultures too.