What is Day of the Dead all about, you ask?

Dia de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, is not about death, it’s about celebrating life and welcoming back the spirits of the dearly departed.That’s the simplest way to explain this event that originated in Mexico and Central America with the Aztecs more than 3000 years ago and is now celebrated November 1 and 2. But what is the Day of the Dead exactly?

If you’re dying (ha-ha) to learn how you can participate in this Latino tradition and commemorate the life of someone you love, read on:

First things first:

Build an altar to honor your ancestor, either somewhere in your home or at their gravesite. The altar doesn’t have to be big, a table or a shelf will work. The altar is important because you’ll need some place to put all the stuff you gather to honor those in the afterlife. What stuff? Well…

Food: Traditionally tamales (yum!), Pan de Muerto (a sweet bread meant to represent the earth), and pumpkin or amaranth seeds are placed on the altar as a snack for the visiting spirits. But if your ancestor liked brisket… go for it.

Booze: What was your ancestor’s favorite libation? Get a bottle (or two) for the altar and another for you and your family members to toast the life of the departed. Sugar Skulls:

I’m sure you’ve seen this traditional folk art from Southern Mexico. The elaborately decorated skulls are made from pure sugar and usually have the names of those who have passed written in icing across the forehead.

Papel Picado:

This colorful, delicate tissue paper is hung like a banner around the altar and represents just how fragile life can be.

Candles:

You’re going to want to load up your altar with candles. Lots of candles. Not only does it make the altar REALLY dramatic, it represents the light that guides your ancestor home.

Monarch Butterflies:

These butterflies make their appearance in Mexico about this time of year, which is why they are believed to be the spirits of visiting ancestors.

Photos:

Oh yeah! You’ll want everyone to know who’s being honored, so prop up a couple of pictures of your ancestor on the altar. Try to get images of things they did in every day life. That’s it… you’re ready to honor the spirit of someone you love who is in a much better place (we hope).

Now you are fully equipped to answer the question: What is The Day of the Dead?!

If doing all of this seems a bit overwhelming, the Smithsonian has a great interactive Day of the Dead website that will let you do it virtually. Click here to see it! So much easier than building an altar… but you won’t get to enjoy any tamales!

Forget the candy corn… leave that for the kids. This is what you really want this Halloween.

Morkes Chocolates mixes a little bit of the macabre with a whole lot of chocolate to come up with a fantastic collection of molded chocolate rats, eyeballs, Frankensteins and more. The company’s been around since 1920, and makes all of its chocolate goodies from the best ingredients.

And if you’re more of a Day of the Dead celebrant, Morkes has a variety of sugar, solid and semi-solid chocolate skulls. They’ll even personalize the skulls with the name of a loved one, just like traditional Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico!

You can order online here, or stop by one of their two Chicago-area locations!

You can’t have Halloween with out caramel apples. Mrs. Prindable’s uses a delicious buttery caramel that’s made the old fashioned way: slowly cooked in copper pots in small batches until perfect.

They also make THE BIGGIEST DIPPED APPLE I’VE EVER SEEN.

I’m not kidding. Their Jumbo Caramel Apple can weigh up to 1½ lbs! Mrs. Prindable’s also makes smaller, more manageable 8-ounce dipped apples. Both sizes are available in 8 different gourmet flavors, including Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Almond Caramel. Whew. Just reading that gives me a sugar rush. Take a peek at their online store here!

Chef Jamie Cantor of Platine Cookies really knows how to make some boo-tiful Halloween cookies. Her scary-themed couture cookies and Halloween Candy Craze cookies (like everything in her bakery) are created from original recipes with all-natural ingredients and mixed in a small batches.

Every single cookie is made to order… which, as you know, is so important when dealing with baked goods! Stop in her Culver City, California bakery or click here to order online.

Serve any of these sweet treats at your Halloween bash and you’ll be the talk of the ‘hood as the ghost-ess with the most-ess!

Run, run as fast as you can, you’re going to want to catch these Gingerbread Men!

Planning a Halloween or Day of the Dead Party? Here’s a super easy recipe I came up with for my friends at  Right@Home, the  bilingual website that’s got a witch’s cauldron full of ideas to celebrate the day… everything from  recipes,  cleaning and organizing,  to  decorating  and  crafts. They’ve even got great suggestions on how  you and your family can get the most out of these beautiful fall days.

What makes the  Save-A-Step Gingerbread Skeletons recipe so simple is the “secret” ingredient: boxed cake mix! Let the kids help decorate these little men with their favorite candy or sweet topping. Make them scary or BOO-tiful… but get creative!

For more recipes like this, sign up for Right@Home™ by  clicking here. 

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