This week and next week we will be celebrating two different holidays that are somewhat similar. A lot of people think that the Day of the Dead is the Mexican version of Halloween, but this is not the case at all. Even if both involve costumes, festivities and food, they both come from two very different traditions.

Halloween comes from “All Hallows Eve” or the “Eve of All Souls” and it is celebrated on October 31st every year. Its origins go back to the traditional celebration of Samhain in the Celtic Region, which was done in observance of the end of summer, the celebration of the harvest of crops and as a preparation to the cold dark winter season. People would gather around bonfires wearing costumes to scare and keep ghosts away. Over time, Halloween evolved to include fun activities like treat-or-tricking wearing customs, carving pumpkins and eating treats.

On the other hand, the Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that goes back to the Aztecs and other Nahua people living in Mexico at the time. It is celebrated on November 2nd every year. The Aztecs believed that when a person died, they traveled to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. It took several years for their soul to get there, as they had to go through nine different challenging levels to arrive to their final resting place. As a ritual, families create “ofrendas” (offerings) of bright yellow marigold flowers, pictures of the departed and their favorite foods and drinks. They believe that their loved ones will visit them that night as they hear their prayers, smell the food and join in the celebration.

As you can see, these two holidays have some similarities, like the costumes and the treats, but are quite different in purpose. Halloween´s purpose is to ward off the ghosts while “Día de Muertos” is to, in a way, “reunite” in spirit with their loved ones.

If you celebrate one or the other or both, we wish you a safe and fun celebration!