Day of the Dead Handbook

Quien con la esperanza vive, alegre muere. He who lives with hope dies happy. ~ Day of the Dead proverb

Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday rooted in the ancient past of Mesoamerica. The origins of the modern holiday has been traced back hundreds of years to the rituals of the Aztec Indians. Dedicated to the Goddess of Death, Mictecacihuatl (Lady of the Dead), the Aztec ritual honored those who have passed on with great feasts, sacrifice, ritual, dance, and sacred art that depicted their beliefs and customs. In the past, the ritual honoring the deceased was celebrated for the entire month of August, which is the ninth month of the Aztec solar calendar. The Day of the Dead Handbook is a primer on this ancient festival. It describes the major characteristics of the Day of the Dead, and provides readers with instructions for creating a Day of the Dead ancestral altar, as well as a number of traditional Day of the Dead crafts and recipes.