Sage and other incenses are also frequently burned to clear the space of negative energy and help the dead find their way. The Aztecs burned copal incense as an offering to the gods, and it is used today for Roman Catholic funeral masses.
Often fruit punch, hot chocolate, cerveza (beer), tequilla or another favorite of the deceased are presented to refresh the spirits of a spirit after his journey.įire blazes in the candles and incense. Water is the source of life, said to quench the thirst of the dead when they return from a long journey. Black represents death, pink is for celebration, purple signifies mourning, white symbolizes hope, and yellow is for the sun. The papel picado cut papers add a colorful trim. Traditionally there are four of the candles at the top of the altar, either representing a cross and/or the cardinal directions which are said to provide a lighted path to this world. Wind is shown in the flapping papel picado and the flickering candles.
Food from the Earth is also important…more on that later. Materials: Led candles, salt, silk paper (colors: black, white and light blue), water, flowers (colors: orange, yellow and white), pictures of your loved ones. The bright yellow of the marigolds and their fragrance are synonymous with Day of the Dead. Their aroma is said to help lure a spirit back, and the scent is even stronger if the petals are pulled out, so petal paths are often created to guide the souls home. Marigolds, known as “flowers of the dead,” grow and wilt quickly, reflecting the fleeting nature of life.
Flowers have a brief life, symbolizing the brevity in which the living occupies the earth. From the Earth, yellow marigolds are almost always present.