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Create Your Day of the Dead Altar

Day of the Dead Altar

Celebrating Day of the Dead is a perfect opportunity to strengthen Hispanic culture by making your own altar at home with your children.

This is not supposed to be a scary tradition of witches and ghosts. Instead, a Day of the Dead altar serves to show the deceased ones our love and respect once they find their way home on November 1st and 2nd when they come visit us.

How to Make an Altar

Think about the person you love and remember and what he liked when he was on this earth. Candy and fruits accompany the famous Pan de Muerto or bread of the dead, also think about music and activities that you can represent through objects you can place in the altar.

Most altars have three levels or tiers. Each one serves a purpose. The top tier commonly has the picture of the person. The middle tier has the objects that represent what he loved like music, instruments, activities, etc., and the bottom tier carries food offerings like candy, bread, and fruit along with water.

Typical Items for Your Altar

  • Start by using cut tissue paper or papel picado to cover the base of the altar. You can also use a black cloth or a mantilla.
  • Place a picture of the loved one on the top or bottom of the altar.
  • On the second tier place some objects that represent the activities and things he enjoyed. Music Cds, small soccer ball, an instrument, etc.
  • On the lower tier place water or holy water to help him travel the road to eternity. Day of the Dead bread that represents his soul and fruit, candy and other foods to help him in the journey.
  • Place candles throughout the altar. Candles represent light or lumbre to light the path of the dead. Purple candles mean pain, pink celebration and white hope.
  • Place yellow marigolds or "the flower of the dead" throughout the altar. You can also use other fragrant flowers to communicate to the spirits the richness of the offering.
  • Place a small container with salt for the souls who visit. They can use the salt in case they can't taste the flavor of foods.
  • Place some skeleton dolls at the bottom, Mexicans use them a lot as death is a festive occasion not a sad one.
  • Use incense. Many Mexicans burn White copal incense (made from the resin of the pitch pine or Pinus pseudostrobus) or other fragrant one to guide the dead to the altar.

    Create this project with your family and specially with your children. They will love gathering the offerings, cutting the paper, and arranging the altar. It is about passing Hispanic traditions while sharing family time.

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