Celebrating the continuity of life

Far from being a morbid event, Day of the Dead emphasizes remembrance of past lives and celebration of the continuity of life.

Day of the Dead is one of the most passionately celebrated events throughout Mexico, and especially so in smaller provincial towns and cities, although the places to be on Day of the Dead are the colonial town of Pátzcuaro (near Morelia) and Oaxaca City.

Plan your accommodations in advance

Hotels in Pátzcuaro tend to book-up during the summer for this event (some charismatic hotels are booked a year or more in advance), but late availability can sometimes be sought.

Hotel availability in Oaxaca is generally easier to come by (in part because there are more hotel rooms in Oaxaca), although most of the centrally-located hotels will book up early, leaving late-bookers to choose from the remaining rooms further outside of the historic center, or in nearby towns.

Alternative accommodations to hotels, offered by shared rentals in people’s homes, has added to the choice and supply of accommodations in Pátzcuaro as well as Oaxaca, which is especially useful for popular dates like Day of the Dead, although you can expect rates to be higher you might have to stay in a nearby town or village and travel in to the center of Pátzcuaro or Oaxaca for the events.

Planning your transportation

We recommend you plan your transportation options as flights and roads to Pátzcuaro get busy around dates leading up to and soon after Day of the Dead.

Getting to Pátzcuaro for Day of the Dead

The ancient highland town of Pátzcuaro is situated in the state of Michoacán, in the mountains west of Mexico City.

By air: If you’re planning to visit Pátzcuaro, the city of Morelia has an international airport with flights from Mexico City and various cities in the US.  Check FlightConnections for current routes.  The airport is about an hour’s drive by road from Pátzcuaro.

By bus: Morelia and Pátzcuaro can also be reached by luxury bus from Mexico City; the bus journey time is 5-6 hours.  Buses to Morelia depart from the capital’s eastern and northern bus terminals.

Driving: If you’re driving to Pátzcuaro, tolled highways 15D and 14D will take about 4-4.5 hours to drive from Mexico City, depending on traffic.

Getting to Oaxaca City for Day of the Dead

The capital city of Oaxaca is situated in southern Mexico, about 285 miles south of Mexico City.

By air: Oaxaca City is served by an international airport with flights from Mexico City and various cities in the US.  Check FlightConnections for current routes.  The airport is about a 30 minute drive by road from the center of Oaxaca City.

By Bus: Oaxaca City can reached by luxury bus from Mexico City; the bus journey time is 5-6 hours.  Buses to Oaxaca City depart from the capital’s western and southern bus terminals.

Driving: If you’re driving to Oaxaca City, tolled highways 150D and 135D will take about 4-4.5 hours to drive from Mexico City, depending on traffic.

Learn more about Day of the Dead in Mexico

We publish guides and articles to help you discover more about Day of the Dead in Mexico, as well as Pátzcuro and Oaxaca City.

• Articles to discover Day of the Dead in Mexico
• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• Meet the elegant Catrinas
• Altars and offerings for Day of the Dead
• Delicious bread and hot chocolate traditions
• The iconic flower synonymous with Day of the Dead
• Children’s Calaverita traditions
• Guides to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca City

Busy time for travel across Mexico

As with Thanksgiving in the United States, Easter is when Mexicans travel to be with their families, and it’s also the most popular time of year for family excursions.  School is out for two weeks and workers book time off and flock to Mexico’s beaches, or take vacations abroad.

If you travel to any of Mexico’s popular retreats or vacation spots during Easter, expect airports and bus stations to be hectic, interstate highways around principal cities to be busy, hotels to be heavily booked, and leisure attractions to be teeming with people.

Usually a first wave of holiday makers making their way out of major cities comes on the weekend ahead of Easter week, with a second wave leaving on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Find tips and advice for traveling in Mexico during the Easter holiday.

Mexico City’s quiet streets during Easter Week

From Mexico City, roads are often clogged for hours heading south to Cuernavaca and Acapulco, south-east towards Puebla and Veracruz, west to Guadalajara and Morelia or north towards Queretaro and the colonial heartland.

For chilangos staying home for the holidays, or visitors who appreciate a break from the madding crowds, this metropolitan exodus has advantages as the streets of the capital city empty out for a week. A journey that could take as long as two hours during a normal weekday is completed in 30 minutes. Parking spaces are easily found, restaurants and bars are far less crowded. Museums and parks are quieter, and lines to see special exhibitions are shorter.

Easter week is an ideal time to wander around the capital’s historic center, visit the famous Anthropology Museum on Reforma or take a leisurely strolls and a quiet lunch around the popular colonial enclaves of San Angel and Coyoacán.

If you like to avoid the crowds and have a flexible schedule, visiting Mexico City during Easter and then heading out to Mexico’s beaches and colonial cities after the Easter holidays have passed will afford you the best of both situations: you’ll enjoy a tranquil capital and a quieter, off-peak, visit to a beach and/or colonial region afterwards.

Easter and economic activity in Mexico

The Easter holiday also has several effects on economic activity. Now, as in the weeks preceding the year-end holidays, costs of hotels and airfares rise with the added demand.

These prices usually come down again after the holidays, but of course by then most people have already traveled and vacationed at the higher prices. People with school-age children or who work in formal employment often have limited flexibility to choose to go on vacation off-season, but those who are retired or have flexible work styles can save money — and the travel crush — by avoiding flights and holiday resorts at this time of year.

As the Semana Santa week moves back and forth between April and March, it also has an effect on economic indicators. The holidays make for active sales at stores and supermarkets, hotels and travel services, while putting a damper on other activity such as factories and construction works—many of which shut down at least on Thursday and Friday of Easter week.

Those two days are official holidays in Mexico and banks and financial markets are also closed. If Easter falls in March one year and April the next, March will have better production numbers the second year and April the worse numbers. Retailers, however, will report better results for the month that had the holiday. It all balances out in the end.

Travel planning near the end of the holiday

At the end of the Easter week holiday, the traffic flows return to their usual congested states, only this time with thousands crawling along roads traveling back into the cities—especially Mexico City.  If you have to travel in Mexico City on the first Monday after the two-week Easter break, allow yourself plenty of time and patience for your journey across the city.

Find tips and advice for traveling in Mexico during the Easter holiday.

Families often take time away together at Easter causing beach destinations and some popular colonial cities become packed with visitors.  Flights and accommodations can be hard to find if not booked in advance, bus stations become remarkably crowded and interstate buses travel full, and delays can be expected when driving on Mexico’s highways, especially near and around major towns and cities.

Mexico’s roads and airports during Easter

Holy Thursday and Good Friday are national holidays in Mexico, and congestion is almost guaranteed on main arterial routes in and out of large cities—especially Mexico City.

Additional care is needed when driving, as traffic snarls can appear around any bend, and there’s a tendency for some drivers to speed on highways expecting them to be quite clear.

Schools across Mexico break for Easter, and many offices and factories close, creating a space for families to take a pause and rest. As with Christmas and New Year, this mass-holiday creates a heavy demand for travel and leisure services within a concentrated period, pushing prices for transport and accommodations much higher than they typically are at other times of the year, with service often of a lower quality, too.

Avoiding the Easter crowds in Mexico

Those with flexible lifestyles and work schedules perhaps ought to consider avoiding travel during the Easter period and elect to take their leisure breaks during the low seasons when crowds are thin and prices lower.

For many, this isn’t possible and is particularly difficult for those whose offices close those weeks; or who have school-age children tied to scholastic calendars.  People with flexible lifestyles who want to visit their families with young children and/or less flexible work arrangements may also become corralled into the crush of the Easter holiday period.

Much is made of international tourism —and rightly so, as Mexico is the world’s 7th-ranked destination for number of international tourists and 17th in foreign tourism receipts— but domestic customers make up a larger portion of Mexico’s overall tourist economy, and this is particularly noticeable during Easter. (Tourism accounts for about 8.5% of the country’s gross domestic product, and three quarters of the value of tourism services is driven by domestic vacationers.)

Mexico City during Easter Week

If your work and lifestyle schedules don’t lend themselves to avoid traveling at Easter and you’d prefer to miss the crowds, consider a visit to the capital and a tour to (re)revisit its famed Anthropology Museum on Paseo de la Reforma, the Chapultepec Castle, or the Soumaya Museum in Polanco.

The exodus from large cities as domestic tourists head for the beach, or to quaint and picturesque colonial towns, makes Easter an ideal time to visit places like Mexico City, with its historic attractions, myriad of museums, and other entertainment venues. Traffic in the capital during Easter week is generally light, making travel around the metropolis quicker and less stressful.

The historical downtown district of Mexico City is particularly pleasant during Holy Week, as the crowds are manageable, and the weather is fine—warm, with not much rain likely. When Easter comes early, it’s even possible to catch the lilac splendor of the Jacaranda trees which may still be in flower.

Tips for traveling during Easter Week in Mexico

If you intend to travel during the Easter period in Mexico, here are some key tips to help with your planning.

Lodgings and accommodation

Whether you intend to stay at a BnB, a beach resort or other hotel, we recommend that you reserve your Easter holiday lodgings well ahead of time.  The best accommodations book up early during Easter Week, and advance bookings are essential to ensure that you can secure space at the accommodations of your choice, especially in Mexico’s most popular destinations. Expect rates during Easter Week to be materially higher by comparison to mid- and low-season prices.

Roads and highways

If you plan to drive your car in Mexico during Easter week, be mindful that congestion on roads will be noticeable, especially around the capital and other cities—places from which hoards of people take to the road just before Easter and then return to just before the holiday finishes. Lines of traffic leading up to toll booths on major highways can extend back for miles in some places at the start and end of the holiday period.  Exercise additional precautions when driving, allowing extra time and being patient on your journey.

• Be sure that your vehicle is properly insured if you intend to bring your US or Canadian-plated vehicle to Mexico
• Allow extra time for your journey, regulate your speed, and keep plenty of distance between your vehicle and others to avoid accidents typically caused by congestion
• Be extra vigilant regarding the security of your vehicle and its contents while you’re traveling
• Download our free eBook Guide to Driving and Road Trips in Mexico that’s packed with helpful and advice about tips for driving in Mexico, including security and dealing with accidents.

Airports and flights

Build-in additional time to get to and from the airports you are using, as well additional time to check-in and get through security and immigration. Crowds at airports swell noticeably during Easter Week and everything takes a little longer to accomplish. Be prepared for possible flight delays, too.

Bus stations and bus seats

During most of the year, you can turn up at a bus station in Mexico, and be almost guaranteed a seat on the next bus out to your intended destination.  During Easter Week, this is not so.  Advance seat booking is essential, and bus stations —especially so but not exclusively in Mexico City —become exceptionally crowded. If you intend to travel by bus during Easter, book your seats ahead of time, arrive at the bus station early, and be prepared to negotiate big crowds and deal with long lines as you make your way to the boarding platforms.

Be extra vigilant with your belongings

Crowded places during peak holiday periods provide ideal conditions for pickpockets, bag-snatchers, and car thieves to operate.  Be especially careful at bus stations and airports, and don’t leave your car unattended when you call-in at highway gas stations and to make convenience stops.  Download our free eBook guide to driving in Mexico for detailed information about security on your road trip.

When you’re traveling, keep your bags and personal belongings close, be especially mindful of your handbags, wallets, and technology devices; and dress down—leave your expensive jewelry at home.

Leaving your home in Mexico unattended at Easter

If you live in Mexico and intend to vacate your home during the Easter period, take appropriate measures to secure your vacant house, as burglars can be mindful that owners may leave for the holiday.

One of the best ways to secure your home when you’re away for an extended period is to have a friend or family member housesit while you’re gone.

A home insurance policy will cover you in the event of certain losses due to burglary and vandalism.  Read our article about preventing home burglaries in Mexico for more details and practical advice.

Some also provide a public service as self-appointed gatekeepers warning against restaurants on both sides of the Atlantic that claim to be offering Mexican fare but which anyone who has tried genuine Mexican food would cringe at, or tipping off their readers about errant recipes making scandalous innovations in Mexican culinary matters.

Mexican party food through the holidays

While tacos, tortas and tamales are a daily delight, and indeed, most dishes can be enjoyed all year round, some are particularly associated with certain dates or holidays.

Pozole —red or green, chicken or pork— makes its presence especially known in September around Independence Day on the 16th. People will go searching for tamales at Candlemas on February 2nd, many because they got a plastic doll in their slice of Rosca de Reyes on January 6th, Three Kings Day.

In the U.S., guacamole is often associated with the Super Bowl, and the first week of February does see strong demand for Mexican avocados. But it doesn’t actually have anything to do with American football, just like Cinco de Mayo has nothing to do with Mexico’s independence.

Mexican party food at Christmas time

Christmas also has its own dishes, some homegrown and some adopted, to make sure no one goes hungry at the festive gatherings which are usually held on December 24th at night.

Roast or smoked turkey —pavo— is often on the menu. Most people in Mexico seem to want only turkey breast slices, so those who don’t mind chomping their way through a leg or a wing will find little competition.

Many Christmas party food tables will accompany this with a ham, smoked or baked. Mexicans call this pierna, and not jamón which is the thinly sliced stuff you get at the supermarket or local store.

Traditional bacalao and romeritos

The more exotic dishes are bacalao and romeritos.

Bacalao is salted codfish prepared with finely chopped parsley (and/or coriander), tomato puré, olives, cambray potatoes, and chiles largos (also called chiles güeros). Other ingredients vary, it could be another vegetable such as carrot or peppers, or thinly sliced almond. Anyway, balacao is something of an acquired taste. But if well made —i.e., not too much oil, no fish bones, or at least not many— it can make your Christmas special.

Another dish that is not to everyone’s liking but whose fans will rush to fill their plate is romeritos. This is made with seepweed, dried shrimp or shrimp rissoles, nopales and potato in a mole sauce.

All these Christmas dishes are a virtual guarantee that there will be leftovers, and this will bring friends and relatives back the next day for the famous “recalentado”—reheated food. Here bacalao and romeritos come into their own, as they make good tortas.

Learn more about Christmas traditions in Mexico

Mexperience helps you to discover Christmas traditions in Mexico and enjoy all the country offers during this important festive period:

• Learn about preparing for Christmas and New Year in Mexico
• Dia de Guadalupe heralds the start of the end-of-year festivities in Mexico.
• Posadas Navideñas are an integral and essential part of Christmas traditions in Mexico.
• Colorful piñatas are an essential component of every Christmas party in Mexico.
• Discover the Mexican Christmas experience and festivities
• How the New Year is traditionally welcomed in Mexico.
• Kings’ Day gifts, delicious loaf, and the baby doll that determines who hosts the tamales party in February.
• Learn all about Christmas in Mexico on our feature section.

Christmas festivities in Mexico

Local Posadas —traditional Christmas parties— featuring candlelit processions and piñatas; festivals, special events, art and music, delicious seasonal food and drinks, Christmas carols —villancicos— dancing, and fireworks can be enjoyed this time of year across Mexico.

The Posadas begin on December 16th with the main event and special Christmas meal traditionally taken by most families on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. The 25th of December in Mexico is a day for relaxation —‘the ultimate Sunday’— as well as being a public holiday.

Many of the events leading-up to Christmas are aligned with certain religious festivals and church services that make them even more meaningful to those who behold Christmas as more than just an indulgent holiday.

A fusion of styles and cultures

As with so many things in Mexico, Christmas festivities here celebrate a fusion of cultures and traditional celebrations that nonetheless retain a strong Mexican style and flair.  Amidst the festivities, the underlying feeling of peace and tranquility, and a time for being with those you care about most is the same in Mexico as everywhere else that Christmas is celebrated.

In places where it never snows, the backdrop will never meet the ‘snow drops and sleigh bells’ imagery that’s so often shared on Christmas cards, but that doesn’t prevent Mexican families from enjoying decorations that include snow scenes on their window panes and snowmen dolls smiling in their sun-drenched patios and gardens.

Shopping for Christmas in Mexico

Frenzied festive shopping trends are now common in Mexico’s big towns and cities at Christmas, so if you plan to ‘whisk across town’ in the capital, be aware that Mexico City’s streets, especially those near and around retail centers, can become virtually grid-locked on the run-up to Christmas Eve as people play-out the infamous ‘last minute rush.’  Christmas in Mexico tends to become more traditional and intimate the further away you are from its urban centers, but it’s wise to plan your shopping needs in advance and avoid shops and markets altogether on the 23rd and 24th, if you can.

Traditional meals and beverages

Christmas in Mexico features its own dishes, some homegrown and some adopted, to make sure no one goes hungry at the festive gatherings.

The main Christmas meal is traditionally taken as a supper on the evening of December 24th, with family and friends arriving for the famous left-overs —recalentados— on the afternoon of the 25th. Some foreign residents keep to their home country traditions and host their main Christmas meal on the afternoon of the 25th, taking a light supper on the 24th, instead.

Turkey and ham are often served; although the most sought-after dishes this time of year are bacalao and romeritos.  For liquid refreshment, sidra (apple cider), and rompope (eggnog) are the traditional beverages served with Christmas meals, although wine and an assortment of spirits may also be offered by hosts.

Gift exchange traditions

In modern-day Mexico, gifts are often exchanged on the night of the 24th of December, although traditionally presents in Mexico are exchanged on Kings’ Day—January 6th.  This is also the day when the delicious “Rosca de Reyes” (Kings’ Loaf) is served: a doughnut-shaped cake into which several small plastic doll figurines are baked; whoever is served a slice containing a doll does, by tradition, host a party and serves tamales at their home on February 2nd, Dia de la Candelaria, Candlemas.  Each rosca contains several dolls baked in with the dough, usually at least three, and the larger the size of the loaf, the more chances you have to be ‘nominated’ as a party host in February.

A special time for visitors and residents in Mexico

People who visit Mexico this time of year enjoy getting away from their usual surroundings and absorbing an alternative Christmas experience: many people who have visited Mexico at Christmas at least once before are drawn back time and again to the special magic that Mexico offers this time of year, and to enjoy the unusual in celebrations that nonetheless feel quite familiar.

For those who live in Mexico, Christmas remains a very special time of year when friends, family, festivals, and local traditions fuse together to create an enjoyable atmosphere that is uniquely Mexican in its approach and style.  Some foreign residents travel to spend Christmas and New Year with their families abroad; and some years their families come to visit them in Mexico, and experience the wonders of a Christmas holiday in ways that only Mexico can offer.

After the Christmas meals and leftovers have been enjoyed and gifts unwrapped, people take a breather and begin to prepare for their New Year celebrations.

Wherever you are this holiday season, we wish you a tranquil Christmas holiday filled with joy—and a New Year filled with good tidings and abundance!

Learn more about Christmas traditions in Mexico

Mexperience helps you to discover Christmas traditions in Mexico and enjoy all the country offers during this important festive period:

• Learn about preparing for Christmas and New Year in Mexico
• Dia de Guadalupe heralds the start of the end-of-year festivities in Mexico.
• Posadas Navideñas are an integral and essential part of Christmas traditions in Mexico.
• Enjoying Mexican party foods at Christmastime
• Colorful piñatas are an essential component of every Christmas party in Mexico.
• How the New Year is traditionally welcomed in Mexico.
• Kings’ Day gifts, delicious loaf, and the baby doll that determines who hosts the tamales party in February.
• Learn all about Christmas in Mexico on our feature section.

The later expansion of U.S. culture —convenience, fast food, movies, music, video games— inevitably affected its neighbor Mexico, and the commercial exploitation of traditional holidays has also been a hit.

The trappings of Halloween have made inroads into the traditional Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations. Few people bother writing “calaveras” —humorous epitaphs in rhyme— these days, but armies of children in fancy dress carrying jack-o-lanterns go knocking on doors and chanting “queremos Halloween” or “¿me da mi calaverita?”—less Mexican, perhaps, but more profitable all-round than the original plan. Stores stock up on imported pumpkins of all colors, shapes and sizes, while other Halloween paraphernalia adorn the shelves just long enough to be knocked-off by the incoming Christmas candy and toys.

Mexico has always been a country to assimilate foreign things without giving up its own identity, often putting a particularly Mexican stamp on them.

Roast turkey is eaten at Christmas but in addition to, not instead of, the traditional bacalao and romeritos.

Santa Claus has overtaken the Three Kings as the principal bringer of gifts, although both are popular among children. Before, the main time for “getting” was January 6, or Three Kings Day, and children would leave out shoes for the purpose. (Not that their “orders” would ever fit in a shoe.)

Now the sleighs, the bells, the reindeer, and the fir trees —in places where it never snows— are all the rage. By all means enjoy the winter scenes, but don’t forget to bring the piñatas.

This acceptance of imported ideas without giving up existing views has long been a characteristic of Mexico. It’s also apparent in the way political correctness has trickled into the country, particularly where it merely involves substituting one word for another to keep certain people from taking offense on behalf of others.

But while attitudes to many things are already changing with the younger online generations, people haven’t gone so far that they’re afraid to call Christmas Navidad or put up nativity scenes. There are alternatives: “felices fiestas” for “happy holidays,” “fiestas decembrinas” for “December celebrations,” and others; but even when these are used, you don’t get the impression people are trying to avoid falling foul of the separation of Church and State, or worrying that the Chinese may not like you calling it “New Year.”

Learn more about Christmas traditions in Mexico

Mexperience helps you to discover Christmas traditions in Mexico and enjoy all the country offers during this important festive period:

• Learn about preparing for Christmas and New Year in Mexico
• Dia de Guadalupe heralds the start of the end-of-year festivities in Mexico.
• Posadas Navideñas are an integral and essential part of Christmas traditions in Mexico.
• Enjoying Mexican party foods at Christmastime
• Colorful piñatas are an essential component of every Christmas party in Mexico.
• Discover the Mexican Christmas experience and festivities
• How the New Year is traditionally welcomed in Mexico.
• Kings’ Day gifts, delicious loaf, and the baby doll that determines who hosts the tamales party in February.
• Learn all about Christmas in Mexico on our feature section.

The pilgrimages to the Basilica de Guadalupe

Some people begin walking to the basilica —in some cases from towns and villages many miles away— hours or days before December the 12th.  Many of the pilgrims crawl the last few hundred yards of the journey, from the gates of the basilica to the church itself on their knees: a symbolic, painful experience.  The pilgrims will arrive late on the eve of the day or in the early hours of the morning to ensure that they are at or near the shrine at sunrise.

A history that dates back to the colonial era

The history which led up to this occasion goes back to the time of the Spanish conquest.  When the Spaniards arrived, they found indigenous peoples with strong, deeply-rooted belief systems of their own.

The story of Juan Diego takes place on December 12th, 1531.  According to narratives, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to him when he was walking on a hill named Tepeyac. The apparition is described as a young woman with black hair and darkened skin, which is why the Virgin Guadalupe is sometimes referred to as “la virgen morena” (the brown-skinned virgin).

The virgin told Juan Diego to go and tell the local Bishop to build a church on this hill, and Juan Diego did as he was told.  However, the Bishop was left unconvinced by the story and gave the boy short shrift.

So the virgin appeared once more, and on the second occasion told Juan Diego to collect flowers from the top of the hill.  Being December, Juan did not expect to find any but upon his arrival there, he found the hill covered with beautiful flowers.  As instructed, he collected some and, using his overcoat to carry them, returned to see the Bishop.

The Bishop, seeing the unseasonable flowers, also saw an image of the Virgin Guadalupe imprinted onto to the coat.  Convinced it was a miracle, he ordered the building of the church on the hill of Tepeyac—at the precise location where the current-day basilica is situated in Mexico City.

La Virgen de Guadalupe in modern times

Today, Catholic Mexicans bring gifts and offerings to the virgin, petitioning her for help and good providence; for example, when a family member is ill, when there is conflict in their life, or when they are to embark upon some personal or business endeavor.

For those who cannot make it to the basilica in the country’s capital, private vigils are held at homes and churches across the nation.  Fire crackers are often let-off, filling the night sky with lights and resonating sounds; celebrations also include fiestas with processions in the virgin’s honor.

The Virgin Guadalupe is omnipresent in modern-day Mexican culture.  Images of the virgin may be seen everywhere: at churches, at street shrines, in taxis and buses, in homes, stores, bus stations and airports; in people’s cars, in offices, and even as tattoos. Nearly five hundred years later, the Virgin Guadalupe continues to be adored and revered as a guardian, minder, and savior by millions of Catholic Mexicans.

Juan Diego was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002, at which time the Pope said, “Christ’s message, through his mother, took up the central elements of indigenous culture, purified them, and gave them a definitive sense of salvation … facilitating the fruitful meeting of two worlds and becoming the catalyst for a new Mexican identity.”

The start of the Guadalupe-Reyes holiday season

December 12 also marks the beginning of the Christmas Holiday season in Mexico, colloquially known as Guadalupe-Reyes, referring to the period between December 12th, and January 6th—Kings’ Day.

Learn more about Christmas traditions in Mexico

Mexperience helps you to discover Christmas traditions in Mexico and enjoy all the country offers during this important festive period.

• Learn about preparing for Christmas and New Year in Mexico
• Posadas Navideñas are an integral and essential part of Christmas traditions in Mexico.
• Colorful piñatas are an essential component of every Christmas party in Mexico.
• Discover the Mexican Christmas experience and festivities
• How the New Year is traditionally welcomed in Mexico.
• Kings’ Day gifts, delicious loaf, and the baby doll that determines who hosts the tamales party in February.
• Learn all about Christmas in Mexico on our feature section.

A delicious seasonal pleasure

Like Easter eggs or turkey dinner at Thanksgiving, Bread of the Dead is a treat that people look forward to when it arrives and miss when its season passes.  In years past, Pan de Muerto was only available in Mexico between late September and early November; however, in a constant drive to ‘de-seasonalize’ product lines and extend sales opportunities, Mexican supermarkets now sell Pan de Muerto as early as August and as late as December in some places.

It’s bread—with some seasonal twists

Bread of the Dead is baked like any other bread—except that it has a few treats added to enrich the mixture and which serve to make it special.  The generous quantity of butter mixed into the bake accompanied by a citrus glaze and topped with a liberal dusting of sugar make this loaf a high-calorie sweet feast that, when fresh, melts deliciously on the tongue.

Pan de Muerto is baked in the shape of a bun, with sizes ranging from individual ‘mini’ breads —an ideal companion to a mug of hot chocolate or coffee— to loaves that resemble a large cake which can be sliced and served on plates in similar fashion.  A remarkable feature of the bread is the presence of “bones,” formed from the same sweet mixture and laid over the dome-shaped dough.  These give the bread a somewhat macabre look but rest well with the theme.

The recipe for Bread of the Dead is quite simple and you can find a selection of recipes online, examples here.  The succulent citrus undertones are bestowed by the addition of zest from the juice of a fresh orange or orange-blossom water.

A warming delight on cool autumnal evenings

The bread is best when taken on the same day it was baked, accompanied with a mug of hot chocolate made the Mexican way. (Add ground cinnamon to the chocolate and whisk.)

One of the long-standing traditions observed by people who attend the graves of their loved ones now deceased is to take freshly-baked Pan de Muerto and drink Mexican hot chocolate; usually after dark when the cool November temperatures begin to make their presence felt in the night air.

Pan de Muerto is one of those Mexican foods which many foreigners have yet to try. If you live in Mexico, or visit between late October and early November, then you’ll know (or come to know) about Day of the Dead and taste the delicious bread that attends this important occasion.

Learn more about Day of the Dead in Mexico

We publish guides and articles to help you discover more about Day of the Dead in Mexico, as well as Pátzcuro and Oaxaca City.

• Articles to discover Day of the Dead in Mexico
• How to plan ahead for Day of the Dead
• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• Meet the elegant Catrinas
• Altars and offerings for Day of the Dead
• The iconic flower synonymous with Day of the Dead
• Children’s Calaverita traditions
• Guides to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca City

Flor de Muerto and other names

Cempaxochitl is the flower’s given name in Náuhuatl, and translates to mean the “twenty flowers” —cempa–xochitl— colloquially referred to as flor de muerto and is appointed as the flower-of-choice on every Day of the Dead ofrenda.

A member of the sunflower family, the common varieties are annuals whose stems can grow up to four feet in height. Its bright orange-yellow petals provide depth of color and hues which have become emblematic of the traditions it’s called upon to represent: a celebration of the continuity of life.

An integral part of an altar on Day of the Dead

These marigolds are an integral part of every ofrenda, and according to Mexican folklore the fragrance and color of these flowers guide the spirits to their altars. The flowers are also used to decorate graves, archways, and crucifixes, and women sometimes wear the flower-heads in their hair as part of the traditional Catrina costume.

The colorful petals are traditionally used to create a pathway that leads from the street into the home, and onward the altar itself; when you visit local markets in Mexico this time of year, you’ll find vendors selling the loose marigold petals for this purpose.

The flowers become widely available in October

Markets across Mexico begin selling cempaxochitl from around mid-October onward; the flowers can be purchased in bunches, as potted plants, individual flower heads, and loose petals. It’s virtually impossible to wander around in Mexico during late October without witnessing these bright and enlivening flowers.

The flower petals are edible and can be used to add color and layers of flavor to fresh salads, and some people feed the flower petals to their chickens to make their egg-yolks appear a deep yellow.  The flowers and their stems are employed in the preparation of herbal medicines, and the petals are also used to make yellow food coloring and dyes.

Learn more about Day of the Dead in Mexico

We publish guides and articles to help you discover more about Day of the Dead in Mexico, as well as Pátzcuro and Oaxaca City.

• Articles to discover Day of the Dead in Mexico
• How to plan ahead for Day of the Dead
• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• Meet the elegant Catrinas
• Altars and offerings for Day of the Dead
• Delicious bread and hot chocolate traditions
• Children’s Calaverita traditions
• Guides to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca City

La Ofrenda: the altar of offering

A centerpiece of the traditions that surround the occasion is the creation and open placement of an ofrenda —an altar of offering— that usually manifests as an altar in family homes, although some ofrendas are also arranged at local cemeteries, and in public spaces including parks and plazas.

These altars are an art form and personal expression of love towards one’s family members now passed; they are not intended for worshiping but instead for the purpose of remembrance and celebration of life.

The three tiers of an ofrenda

Traditionally, altars featuring ofrendas will be composed of three layers:

• the top tier contains photographs of the remembered deceased as well as religious statues or symbols, especially that of La Virgen Guadalupe;
• the second tier will contain the ofrendas: toys are usually offered for deceased children, and bottles of tequila, mezcal, or atole for deceased adults.  Personal ornaments, and/or the deceased’s favorite food or confection will also be present here, as will Pan de Muerto;
• the third tier will feature lit candles, and some people add a washbasin and a towel so that the spirits of the deceased may refresh themselves upon arrival at the altar.

The second tier of the altar is the most personal, furnished with a thoughtful selection of ofrendas for the remembered deceased.  Special care is given to the composition of this layer by those creating the ofrendas, giving due consideration to the important things their loved ones most enjoyed during the course of their lifetime.

In remembrance of deceased children, toy and game sets, cuddly toys, as well as candy and snacks they enjoyed may be placed here.  For adults, it’s traditional to leave samples of the food and drink they especially enjoyed (or the ingredients which make them).

Small clay pots containing samples of foods like corn, spices, chiles, and confectionery are common; as are clay cups or mugs containing the deceased’s favorite beverages—which could include sodas, chocolate, coffee, tea, atole; as well as tequila, pulque, or mezcal, etc.

Every altar will include Mexican orange marigold flowers called cempaxochitl —colloquially referred to as flor de muerto— as well as Pan de Muerto, bread of the dead.

Making arrangements for the ofrenda

In the two weeks or so leading-up to Day of the Dead, local markets across Mexico begin to fill-up with colorful stalls selling all the items traditionally needed to fully dress a family ofrenda.

Local markets are indispensable

If you’re visiting Mexico in the days leading up the event, be sure to visit at least one local market to experience the atmosphere and witness the traditions which accompany the creation of family altars, and where you’ll see local people busily seeking out the indispensable pieces they need to compose their own unique and very personal ofrenda: a symbol of remembrance and a celebration of lives lived.

Drapes and adornments

The altar tables are usually draped and adorned with colorful paper or cloth, some with cut-outs known as papel picado and formed into a variety of patterns which echo the traditions —Catrinas, skulls, crosses, and flowers are most common— and some even depict pumpkins.

Something sweet

Most altars will include some form of confectionery, typically caramelized pumpkin and an assortment of sugar skulls which are creatively decorated and painted and sold in a range of different sizes.

The importance of candlelight

Candlelight is an important atmospheric aspect of each ofrenda, and the markets are replete with options, often presented in colorful pots and jars, or with edges of the wax candle painted and decorated in harmony with Day of the Dead themes. Incense burners may also be found on some ofrendas, alongside the candles.

Where to find ofrendas in Mexico

The ofrendas can be seen at local cemeteries, and in public parks and plazas. In some provincial towns and villages, local families traditionally open their homes’ altars on the 1st and 2nd of November—so a visit to a local cemetery and a wander around local neighborhoods may provide you with an opportunity to share and experience Day of the Dead traditions at a very local and personal level.

You can learn more about the traditions of Day of the Dead, including the altars and Catrinas on our article about Celebrating Life on Day of the Dead in Mexico

Learn more about Day of the Dead in Mexico

We publish guides and articles to help you discover more about Day of the Dead in Mexico, as well as Pátzcuro and Oaxaca City.

• Articles to discover Day of the Dead in Mexico
• How to plan ahead for Day of the Dead
• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• Meet the elegant Catrinas
• Delicious bread and hot chocolate traditions
• The iconic flower synonymous with Day of the Dead
• Children’s Calaverita traditions
• Guides to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca City

Traditionally, November 1st honors deceased children and November 2nd honors deceased adults.  Day of the Dead is celebrated passionately throughout Mexico, and especially so in smaller provincial towns and cities. November 2nd is an official Public Holiday in Mexico.

Mexico’s Day of Dead: a celebration of life

Far from being a morbid event, Day of Dead emphasizes remembrance of past lives and expresses celebration of the continuity of life.  This acknowledgement of life’s continuity has roots which go back to some of Mexico’s oldest civilizations including the Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, and Purépecha.  The Aztecs also celebrated Day of the Dead, although earlier —August— on the current calendar.

Local festivities and traditions vary from place to place, although the ofrendas are the focal point of the celebrations during the festive period.  Mexico City hosts a large and elaborate procession downtown, and provincial towns and cities hold religious processions to mark the occasion.  It’s currently fashionable for participants to have their face painted to emulate Catrinas.

Although Halloween on October 31st and Dia de los Muertos on November 1st and 2nd are strictly speaking two distinct events, in recent times the two festive dates have blended into each other illustrating how Mexico is adept at assimilating foreign things without losing its own identity—and often putting a particularly Mexican stamp on them.

La Ofrenda: an altar of remembrance

Local families will plan for Day of the Dead celebrations days, weeks, or perhaps even a whole year in advance.  A focal point of the remembrance ritual is families creating ofrendas —altars with offerings to the deceased— which are set-up in homes or public spaces like parks or plazas, and also at local cemeteries where family members are buried.

These colorful altars, which are also an art form and personal expression of love towards one’s family members now passed, are not for worshiping but instead for the purpose of remembrance and celebration of a life lived.

They are usually layered: the top tier contains a picture or pictures of the remembered deceased as well as religious statues or symbols, especially that of La Virgen Guadalupe; the second tier will contain the ofrendas: toys are usually offered for deceased children, and bottles of tequila, mezcal, or atole for deceased adults.  Personal ornaments, and/or the deceased’s favorite food or confection will also be present here, as will Pan de Muerto.  The third tier will feature lit candles, and some people add a washbasin and a towel so that the spirits of the deceased may refresh themselves upon arrival at the altar.

Every altar will feature calaveras —decorated candied skulls made from sugar— as well as the bright orange marigolds, colloquially referred to as flor de muerto (“Flower of the Dead”), one of the iconic symbols woven into Day of the Dead celebrations across Mexico.

During the celebratory period, it’s traditional for families to visit local cemeteries where their loved ones are buried, where they clean and to decorate the graves with similar offerings to those included in the home’s altar.

Catrinas: artistic symbol of Day of the Dead celebrations

The character on which La Calavera Catrina —“The elegant skull”— is based was conceived by Mexican engraver José Guadalupe Posada. The original Catrina was titled La Calavera Garbancera: in the form of an artistic etching in zinc, composed for use as political satire around 1910, intended to poke fun at a certain social class of Mexicans who the artist portrayed as having European-aristocratic aspirations; thus the Catrina’s archetypal grandiose plumed hat of a style which passed through a period of high fashion in Europe during that age. This related article explains the history and culture of Catrinas in Mexico.

Pan de Muerto and hot chocolate: the traditional treat on Day of the Dead

One of the culinary highlights of the season is Pan de Muerto —Bread of the Dead— which is a semi-sweet sugar-dusted bread made from eggs and infused with natural citrus fruit flavors.  It’s traditionally taken with hot chocolate that has been mixed with cinnamon and whisked, a pairing that creates a warming blend for enjoyment on a chilly November evening.  Learn how to enjoy Pan de Muerto in Mexico.

Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca: popular towns to celebrate, with plenty of color elsewhere too

Day of the Dead is a holiday that attracts a certain fascination for visitors from abroad, and enjoyed by foreign residents who witness the unfolding of local festivities in their adopted towns and villages each year.

Celebrations in the colonial city of Oaxaca and the ancient highland town of Pátzcuaro are particularly well attended by foreign visitors, and forward planning is vital if you want to experience Day of the Dead at either of these places.

Even if you can’t get to Oaxaca or Pátzcuaro, you’ll discover that communities across Mexico compose their own interpretations of the event to celebrate Day of the Dead, and so wherever you are in Mexico this time of year you’ll have an opportunity to experience this distinctive celebration—one of the most colorful, poignant and atmospheric Mexico offers.

The precise ceremonies, offerings, and customs for Day of the Dead celebrations vary by region and town, but the essential traditions described here are an integral part of the event which is echoed all over Mexico.

A visit to a local cemetery, where family graves are dressed with color and decorations, a local park or plaza where ofrendas have been gathered, or a glimpse into one or more of the local homes which are opened-up to visitors during this period and where the lives of those past are lovingly remembered by those present is a rewarding and worthwhile cultural experience to behold.

Learn more about Day of the Dead in Mexico

We publish guides and articles to help you discover more about Day of the Dead in Mexico, as well as Pátzcuro and Oaxaca City.

• Articles to discover Day of the Dead in Mexico
• How to plan ahead for Day of the Dead
• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• Meet the elegant Catrinas
• Altars and offerings for Day of the Dead
• Delicious bread and hot chocolate traditions
• The iconic flower synonymous with Day of the Dead
• Children’s Calaverita traditions
• Guides to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca City

Mexico is adept at blending cultures

One example of this blending of cultures is Mexico’s adoption of the Halloween custom of trick-or-treating into its Day of the Dead traditions.  On the night of November 1^st children in cities, towns and villages across Mexico dress up and roam the local neighborhood asking for candy while porting their hollowed-out and glowing pumpkins.

Instead of the ‘trick-or-treat’ mantra, the children arrive at each house and sing a little ditty which asks for their calaverita —little pumpkin— to be fed.  Traditionally, children’s calaveritas are made using a chilacayote instead of an orange plastic replica, but the latter are also sold at local shops this time of year.

Mi Calaverita song

There are several verses to the ditty the children sing and, like Mexico’s birthday song, the first verse is always sung and subsequent verses (in their original form or a variation) may follow-on afterwards…

Traditional treats for the children

Although confectionery is the most commonly-given treat, some homes prepare  traditional foods or snacks to share with passers-by, which might include pieces of fresh fruit, small tamales, and other sweet or savory snacks.

Afterwards, when the children begin to walk away with their calaveritas (or themselves) duly fed, a final line of the calaverita song may be sung:

If you’re visiting Mexico’s during the Day of the Dead, you might see children dressed-up in costume and walking around local homes and shops during the hours immediately after sunset on November 1.

If you live in Mexico, it’s wise to stock-up with some candy or treats to give children on the night of November 1^st, especially if your home is situated in a local neighborhood where young families live.  November 2nd is a public holiday in Mexico.

Learn more about Day of the Dead in Mexico

We publish guides and articles to help you discover more about Day of the Dead in Mexico, as well as Pátzcuro and Oaxaca City.

• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• How to plan ahead for Day of the Dead
• Celebrating life on Day of the Dead
• Meet the elegant Catrinas
• Altars and offerings for Day of the Dead
• Delicious bread and hot chocolate traditions
• The iconic flower synonymous with Day of the Dead
• Guides to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca City