Golden marigolds bloom like bursts of sunlight, their petals covering the streets in orange and gold. Festive decorations sway in the breeze, and candles shine softly, turning the night into something magical. Día de los Muertos, or as we like to translate it as “Day of the Dead” is a beautiful, emotional holiday where families come together to remember the loved ones they’ve lost. Mostly celebrated in México, parts of Latin America such as Guatemala and Bolivia, the holiday is celebrated on November 1 and 2 with preparations starting on October 31. Día de los Muertos reminds everyone that love doesn’t end when someone is gone — it just changes form. Although it’s about death, it doesn’t feel dark or sad—it feels peaceful and full of love, reminding everyone that connections last far beyond life itself.
Día de los Muertos is a blend of Mesoamerican, European, and Spanish traditions. It mixes ancient Indigenous beliefs about the afterlife with Catholic customs like All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Long before the Spanish arrived, the Aztecs held month-long celebrations to honor their ancestors, dedicating the festival to Mictecacihuatl, the “Lady of the Dead.” When Spanish colonizers came to Mexico in the 1500s, they encouraged Indigenous people to align their traditions with Catholic holidays, moving these celebrations to November 1st and 2nd. Over time, these beliefs merged into what we now know as Día de los Muertos. The tradition later spread to the U.S. during the Chicano movement in the 1970s and 1980s, and became a proud symbol of Mexican and Latino identity.
Día de los Muertos bursts with color, music, and meaning. Families build candle-lit altars called ‘ofrendas,’ filled with photos, flowers, food, and special items that belonged to their loved ones. Each object tells a story and honors their life. People also visit cemeteries to clean graves, bring marigolds, and light candles to guide spirits home. The night is filled with songs, laughter, and stories, turning remembrance into a celebration. Calaveras—sugar skulls decorated with bright patterns—remind everyone that life and death are both part of the same circle.
How Walkersville Students Celebrate
Arnaldo Perez Quintana, a sophomore at WHS, says, “When we celebrate the holiday, we make their altar when they die, and we put their favorite food and their favorite things.” When Arnaldo thinks of the holiday, he believes that it should be all about the remembrance of the people that he loves. One memory that he shared was that his family would go to the cemetery and clean his loved ones’ tombstones.
Ms. Correa, a staff member, explains how some of her students celebrated the holiday: “The students would decorate their houses and their table where they placed the altar. They would place pictures of different past generations. They would also cook meals and place candles. Some favorite memories from the students would involve their deceased loved ones, the jokes they would share, remembering their personalities, and how the students would miss them.” Mrs. Correa doesn’t celebrate this tradition herself, but she explained that if she did, she would remember her late grandmother.
Honoring the dead isn’t just a Mexican tradition—it happens worldwide. In Guatemala, towns like Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango celebrate with massive, colorful kites that soar high into the sky to “connect” with the spirits above. Ariana Mazariegos, a junior from Guatemala, doesn’t celebrate the holiday, but her family has traditions to honor the dead: “I spend time with my family, and we would go on hikes. We would also go to the cemetery and decorate our loved ones’ tombstones and honor them”. Ariana also mentioned that if she were to celebrate the holiday, it would be to think about the people who meant so much to her. One of her favorite memories was the time that she was given a name to call her special by someone close to her.
Other countries that celebrate Diá de los Muertos have similar, yet different versions on how they would celebrate the festive holiday. In Bolivia, they have their own version of Día de los Muertos called Día de las Ñatitas, translated to “Day of the Skulls”, that is celebrated on November 8th, where people honor their deceased loved ones by bringing their skulls, called ñatitas, to be decorated with flowers and offerings for protection. In Nicaragua, their version of Día de los Muertos involves families gather at cemeteries on November 2 to clean and decorate graves with flowers and candles, sharing food and conversation in a peaceful but lively atmosphere. All these traditions, though different, share one message: love never really dies.
Even though Día de los Muertos honors those who have passed, it’s really a celebration of life. Every flower, candle, and song tells a story of love that never ends. It’s a reminder that while people may be gone from sight, their spirit still lives on—glowing like candlelight in the memories of those who keep them close.
