El Dia de los Muertos on November 1st and 2nd is an important religious holiday in Mexico. Also called All Souls Day, it is an occasion marked by festive celebrations to honor the dead. Cemeteries are cleaned and decorated, special food and candies cooked, and home altars are designed in homage to one’s ancestors. It is a day of joyous remembrance, not of sadness. The special songs, poems, foods, and toys created for El Dia de los Muertos reflect this outlook.

Sugar Skulls

Sugar skulls are often used to decorate the ofrendas (offerings) on Dia de los Muertos. Smaller skulls are placed on the ofrenda on November 1st to represent the children who have deceased. On November 2nd they are replaced by larger, more ornate skulls which represent the adults. These decorative skulls have the name of the deceased on the forehead and are decorated with stripes, dots and swirls of icing to enhance the features of the skulls. These designs are usually whimsical and brightly colored, not morbid or scary. Feathers, beads or colored foils are “glued” on with the icing to create highly ornate skulls.

Day of the Dead Figurines and Dolls

The many moods and faces of Mexican culture and customs are captured to represent the spirit and souls of the deceased in our Day of the Dead collection.