{"id":10586,"date":"2017-10-11T09:02:20","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T13:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aesu.com\/?p=3026"},"modified":"2017-10-11T09:02:20","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T13:02:20","slug":"traditions-customs-dia-de-los-muertos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bobeckmedia.com\/aesu\/traditions-customs-dia-de-los-muertos\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditions and Customs of D\u00eda de los Muertos"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Celebrate
Traditional calacas\u00a0are commonly used as decoration during the Day of the Dead.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Halloween might be just around the corner, but October 31st is also the beginning of another celebratory holiday. <\/span>D\u00eda <\/span>de los Muertos<\/span><\/a>, otherwise known as the Day of the Dead, is a multi-day tradition celebrated in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Latino communities throughout <\/span>the world<\/span><\/a>. Discover the basic customs of <\/span>D\u00eda<\/span> de Los Muertos, and other important things you should know about the annual holiday.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Celebration of Life \u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ancient Aztec beliefs dictated that the gates of <\/span>heaven<\/span><\/a> opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of the deceased were allowed to reunite with their families. As a result, <\/span>D\u00eda<\/span> de los Muertos is a celebration of life, rather than a commemoration of death. The three-day festival is filled with music, dancing, and other lively traditions. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ofrendas <\/span><\/h2>\n

In Southern Mexico, holiday participants build altars inside of their homes to honor deceased loved ones. Often decorated in vibrant hues of oranges and purple, these altars are covered in ofrendas (offerings) such as candles and flowers. Ofrendas are often specific to the tastes of the deceased and can vary from small toys to packs of cigarettes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mexican Marigolds <\/span><\/h2>\n

These beautiful, bright orange flowers are commonly found on altars and inside of homes throughout <\/span>D\u00eda <\/span>de los Muertos. Mexican marigolds only flower during the rainy season and celebrants believe that they help guide their loved one\u2019s soul back to the world of the living. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sugar Skulls <\/span><\/h2>\n

Small, skull-shaped treats known as \u201csugar skulls\u201d are traditionally used to decorate the ofrendas. They\u2019re made of granulated white sugar mixture and pressed into special skull molds. Once dried, the sugar skull is decorated with icing and colored foil. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sugar skulls have since expanded into pop culture, and serve as a global representation of <\/span>D\u00eda <\/span>de los Muertos. Festival celebrants are commonly found wearing face paint to depict calacas (decorated skeleton figurines). \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Celebrate the Day of the Dead with AESU!<\/b><\/h1>\n

AESU <\/b>offers unique, thrilling travel programs for <\/span>college students and young professionals<\/span><\/a> at affordable rates. Each trip is action-packed and informal\u2014designed just for people your own age. We are also able to design custom tours just for your group.<\/span><\/p>\n

AESU offers several trips to<\/span> Spain<\/b>, including <\/span>Discover Spain Games of Thrones Tour<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Euro Explorer<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Continental<\/span><\/a>. Explore Spain and its spectacular landscapes. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you have any questions or want help booking your <\/span>Spain <\/b>adventure, please contact <\/span>AESU <\/b>by calling <\/span>800-638-7640<\/b>, or fill out the <\/span>contact form<\/span><\/a> found on our website!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Halloween might be just around the corner, but October 31st is also the beginning of another celebratory holiday. D\u00eda de los Muertos, otherwise known as the Day of the Dead, is a multi-day tradition celebrated in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Latino communities throughout the world. Discover the basic customs of D\u00eda de Los […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3027,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"postBodyCss":"","postBodyMargin":[],"postBodyPadding":[],"postBodyBackground":{"backgroundType":"classic","gradient":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[354,355,356,348],"class_list":["post-10586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-south-america-travel-tips","tag-day-of-the-dead","tag-dia-de-los-muertos","tag-visit-south-america","tag-visit-spain"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTraditions and Customs of D\u00eda de los Muertos<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Halloween might be just around the corner, but October 31st is also the beginning of another celebratory holiday. 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