10 elements that cannot be missing from your Day of the Dead altar

The Mexican Day of the Dead altars begin to appear in homes in the last days of October, to welcome our loved ones with everything that will guide them and welcome them back home for a day.The tradition is already a syncretism between pre-Hispanic beliefs and the new religious beliefs brought by colonization, but it is so beautiful that today it remains one of the most deeply rooted celebrations among Mexicans, who do not stop setting up their Day of the Dead offering, even if it is small.The significance of the Day of the Dead altar has to do with the levels with which it is organized: A 2-level altar represents the division between heaven and earth.A Day of the Dead altar with 3 levels represents heaven, earth, and the underworld.The most traditional 7-tier altar represents the 7 levels that the soul must cross to reach spiritual rest.Day of the Dead altar: elements that cannot be missing and their meaningIf this year you want to commemorate loved ones who are no longer in the earthly plane, consider putting levels in your offering and these elements that you cannot miss.1. A photographIt doesn’t matter if it’s for a family member or for someone you never met in person, placing a photograph serves to honor the person they were in life.2. An aromatic elementThe traditional choice is copal or incense, but aromatic herbs, fragrant fruits, or infusions are also used.3. Papel picadoPapel picado symbolizes the wind in Mexican Day of the Dead altars. The most commonly used colors are yellow and purple, as they represent purity and mourning.4. FireCandles, votive candles, or tapers aim to represent the fire that guides the souls on their way to the Day of the Dead offering. Sometimes, 4 are placed to represent the four cardinal points.5. WaterIn addition to their favorite drink, water cannot be missing from a Day of the Dead offering, as it is the element left to quench the thirst of the souls upon arrival.6. EarthTo represent the earth, seeds such as corn or cacao, fruits, or spices are used, and according to a more modern ideology, this relates to the Christian idea of you are dust, and to dust you shall return.7. FlowersAlthough they do not have a concrete meaning, flowers are used to adorn the Day of the Dead altar and to welcome the souls. The most commonly used are cempasúchil, cloud, and amaranth.8. FoodAccording to tradition, the food placed should be what the deceased enjoyed in life. Generally, altars are filled with typical Mexican food, such as mole, tamales, and, of course, pan de muerto.9. SkullsSugar skulls are the allegory of death, which can be sweet and not bitter. In addition to sugar skulls, clay, chocolate, or plaster skulls are also used.10. Personal itemsTo welcome the deceased, personal items that they identified with in life are placed, for example, a representative object of their profession or toys for children.Mexican Day of the Dead altars are loaded with symbolism and are a fundamental part of a tradition that allows us to face death with a better attitude, with the kindest face it can have, one that includes food and gives us hope that one day, we will all be a memory.