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Dia De Los Muertos.

By: Neydi, Assistant Manager / Oct 27, 2024

Many of us naturally associate the end of October with Halloween, a time to roam the neighborhood dressed up with schoolmates, hauling buckets brimming over with trick-or-treat plunder.  Schools and churches host trunk-or-treat events, gathering the local community around decked out automobiles.   In Orange County, Anaheim just celebrated the 100th anniversary of its Fall Festival and Halloween Parade, the Oogie Boogie Bash is sold out, and Knott's Scary Farm continues a long-standing run of instilling Halloween horror on a theme-park scale. 

For many of us, the end of October simultaneously leads to a familial tradition that is easily confused with Halloween due to similar themes but is in fact a distinctive cultural holiday.  With around 40% of the population in California identifying as Hispanic/Latino, the majority of which are of Mexican heritage (nearly 50% of Anaheim has Mexican roots), the symbols of Dia de los Muertos are as permeating to us as the rites of Halloween.  For our visitors, all of it may seem to blend together – the costumes, skeletons and skulls, celebrations – and there is the reality of cultural fusion in such a diverse space. 

As those who live and breathe hospitality, we've discovered that travel offers us the privilege of gaining new experiences and learning about different cultures.  While we are in no way experts on this topic, we'd like to draw upon our own histories to offer a starting point in differentiating between Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.  Here are some basics: 

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), is a Mexican Holiday - a unique blend of indigenous beliefs and Catholic traditions - celebrated from October 31st to November 2nd, to remember and honor loved ones who have passed away.  The belief is that during these days, the souls of the deceased return to visit their families.  Key elements of the holiday, such as ofrendas, flowers, and skulls, have been prominently featured in Disney's® animated film Coco.

What you'll see

  • Ofrendas (Altars): Families set up ofrendas at home or at the cemetery, decorated with pictures of the person who has passed away, their favorite food, flowers, and candles.
  • Calaveras (Skulls): Decorative skulls, especially sugar skulls are a common symbol during this period, which are fun and not scary!
  • Pan de Muerto:  A special bread made for the holiday, often sweet and decorated to look like bones.
  • Cempasuchil Flowers: Marigolds are used because of their bright colors and their smell is thought to help guide the spirits.

Although the element of death carries different connotations in varying cultures, for us, Dia de los Muertos is a time of celebration rather than sorrow, focusing on the joy of life and reminiscing on the wonderful memories.  Even as the process of writing this has been a learning opportunity among our own team at the Alamo Inn and Suites, we hope our thoughts might help you more fully appreciate the surrounding festivities as you explore Southern California.

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