”“On this day, we don’t mourn the loss but celebrate the life lived”
Día de Muertos, which translates to – Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition that is celebrated on November 2nd where we pay tribute to our deceased loved ones. Did you know it is inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO?
And just like our many other Mexican traditions, we fill this day with colorful decorations, flowers, and meaningful offerings by building an altar as a creative act of love towards the ones who departed.
In this celebration, we take great care in each detail, and if you’re new to this, there isn’t a right or wrong way into doing it – what truly matters is the feeling that you get by remembering someone you loved.
At Reyma, we chose to share our best tips for you to build an altar. Ready to express in your own way all the love you feel for a deceased loved one?
What you’ll need:
- Cardboard boxes – choose three of different sizes since altars are tiered.
- Tablecloth or fabric – the color is up to you!
- Candles – feel free of using different sizes.
- Cempasúchil flowers (marigolds) – could be authentic or DIY ones.
- Pan de Muerto – traditional Day of the Dead sweet bread.
- Offerings – meals, snacks or beverages that your deceased loved one enjoyed.
- Photos of the ones who departed – choose as many as you like.
- Reyma’s Single-Use plates, trays, cups and cutlery – they’ll keep each offering safe and nicely presented.
Setting it up
Choose any place from your house that feels comforting and start creating multiple levels with cardboard boxes, each level will have something from our previous list. Altars often have three levels, but you can make as many as you want.
Next, using your tablecloth or fabric, cover the base to create a smooth surface and the offerings can be placed.
Now, it’s time for you to place the marigolds. While they can be in flower vases, making a path with marigold petals looks beautiful! It is said that they guide the spirits back home.
At this point, you’ll begin to see how the base of our altar starts to be filled with love. Candles are next! Strategically place them according to their size, let’s not forget how they light the way for our loved ones.
If you ask us, offerings are the best part of building an altar. Reminiscing about the last time you shared a meal, beverage, or snack with a deceased loved one can make you feel some type of way.
And for this step, Reyma has you covered! It’s important to have your offerings in smart packaging solutions, here are a few ideas:
- Reyma Plastic Cups: our 3 oz. EU Plastic Cup is perfect for having snacks, think about cashews, pretzels, dried cranberries. Your choice! And for the beverages, our 12 oz. EU Plastic Cup works perfectly fine if you’d like to add water, juice or any other drink.
- Reyma Foam Trays: the 066 Mariel Foam Tray is ideal for our snacks, candy, or any other dish you would like to keep safe. While the 855 Mariel Foam Tray can have Pan de Muerto or home-cooked meals.
Pro Tip – Clingfilm: to ensure our offerings are preserved while the altar is up, we recommend wrapping the trays and cups with Domestic Use Clingfilm. Everything will be kept in its place!
Finally, add some photos of the ones who departed. You’re also welcome into adding significant belongings, it’ll give a thoughtful and more personal touch.
You’re now part of a beautiful tradition that honors life and death! An altar is a safe place for you to express and mourn in a way you could only understand.
