DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR SHOEBOX SERIES
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR SHOEBOX FREE

Nevertheless, since the adoration of ancestors is forbidden in Catholicism, it seems far safer to assume that the religious substrate from which this element emerged primarily belongs to the Aztecs. This syncretism is the reason why finding the exact historical origin of the Día de los Muertos altars can become a difficult task. Today, the celebration of the Día de los Muertos blends elements from both the Aztec and the Catholic traditions. However, after the Spaniards conquered Mexico in the 16th century, the Catholic Church moved all indigenous traditions concerning the cult of the dead to November 1st (the Day of All Saints) and 2nd (the Day of all Souls), so they would fit into the Christian calendar.Įventually, the solemnity with which these two holidays were celebrated was replaced by a much more festive attitude, as Mexicans started to approach death with a particular sense of ‘cheerfulness’. In ancient times, the Aztecs held many rituals throughout the year to honor their dead. The roots of Día de los Muertos’ go deep into the Aztec era of Mexico. The Historical Origins of Día de los Muertos Altar Here’s a closer look at the history and elements of a traditional Día de los Muertos altar, and what each of these represents.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR SHOEBOX SERIES

However, traditional altars share a series of common elements, such as its structure, and the elements on top of it, including modeled human skulls (made of clay or ceramic), salt, marigolds flowers, food, drinks, some of the deceased’s personal belongings, candles, copal, incense, sugar skulls, water, and paper cortado cut-outs. One of the most significant traditions associated with this holiday is the decoration of personalized, homemade altars (known as ofrendas in Spanish), dedicated to the memory of the departed.Īltars are homemade and personalized, so each one of them is unique in its own way. It’s believed that during this celebration, the spirits of the dead come back to spend some time among the living, so families and friends gather to welcome the souls of their loved ones. This festivity takes place on the 1st and 2nd of November.

The Historical Origins of Día de los Muertos Altarĭía de los Muertos is a multiple day holiday that originated in Mexico, and which celebrates the dead.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR SHOEBOX FREE

I’ve even seen these Dia de los Muertos free printables pop up on other blogs and websites! Of course, since I posted this, Dia de Los Muertos has become much more mainstream and now you can find calavera-related projects all over the internet. UPDATE: I made these four years ago and still use these files for so many other projects. They’re so much fun to color, you may just put them down for a nap and color one yourself! Hope you and your family enjoy these Dia de los Muertos free printables! If you cut out the skull and eyes, add a stick/straw/plastic spoon to the bottom, you’ve got an easy mask! Don’t worry about if your kids don’t want to color inside the lines, still a super fun project for them. There are two different designs, one with a flower on the forehead and one with a heart. The sky’s the limit with these Dia De Los Muertos Free Printables!

I seriously love projects that are like this and so open to interpretation and customization. Another option would be to shrink the size of the print, color, and string up to make a super easy garland that your kids can help make.

These Dia De Los Muertos Free Printables are a super quick and easy project to entertain kiddos and help celebrate “Day of the Dead.” You can just print off the Calavera Printable ( Heart & Flower) and have them color it or slide it into a menu holder ( I love restaurant supply stores!) for days of coloring fun.

Dia de los muertos altar shoebox