Vibrant colors of orange, red and yellow are ahead. We welcome the change of season with piles of leaves and crisp, cool mornings. Fall festivities help us transition into winter, and each culture celebrates with its own unique traditions.
As always, plants play an important role in our seasonal festivities and hold a special place in our traditions. It’s no wonder people carve pumpkins for Halloween, decorate with corn for fall festivals and decorate altars with flowers for Día de los Muertos – plants strengthen our traditions and communicate our emotions.
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday honoring deceased loved ones. It is practiced among the indigenous communities of Mexico in early November. Despite the name, the celebration often lasts three days, starting on November 1. Families facilitate the return of deceased souls to the earth by offering flowers and candles that lead a path from the cemetery to their homes. At home, altars are made with their loved ones’ favorite foods, paper flowers and images.
Although Día de los Muertos is sometimes wrongly associated with Halloween, it is much more closely associated with the fall harvest. The holiday coincides with the completion of the annual cycle of corn (or maize) growing in the country. Corn is important to the indigenous people of Mexico because it symbolizes their daily life, spirituality and livelihood. The harvest allows people to live in peace because it provides economic independence. The country’s holiday purposefully begins during the completion of the corn harvest and transitions directly into celebration with fall botanical harvests!
Flowers of the Día de los Muertos
In addition to corn, flowers are also a symbol of Día de los Muertos. The traditional flower of the Day of the Dead is Marigold, i.e Marigold. Although Marigolds can be found in local markets for daily worship and rituals, they are almost always found on altars during the multi-day festivities of Día de los Muertos.
Sunny Marigolds symbolize the rich tradition. Calendula officinalis belongs to the marigold family and can easily be used in place of the traditional marigold. Why? Both flowers have a vibrant orange-yellow presence and the colors are believed to attract our deceased loved ones to the altars or festivities to honor their lives. Keep in mind that traditional marigold has a more powerful scent, which some say makes the scent more attractive to deceased loved ones.
Other flowers also appear during Día de los Muertos. The first day (November 1) of the celebration is dedicated to deceased children. On this day you are likely to see white flowers such as Baby’s Breath or Nube (Gypsophila paniculata), because white is associated with the purity of the child’s soul.
The second day (November 2) is dedicated to adults. This part of the holiday includes more adult offerings, like tequila and pan de muertosor Day of the Dead Bread.
The last and third day is the grand finale, when public festivities are held to honor all spirits. Face painting, parades and visits to the graves of loved ones take place throughout the day. This is also a time to clear graves, but flowers remain. Sugar skulls add a sweet touch to the decor of the rich tradition, and the more colors, the better!
Honor the celebration appropriately
Losing loved ones is a universal experience, so it’s no surprise that Día de los Muertos has become popular worldwide for its rich culture and vibrant celebrations. The holiday celebrates life in which loss has occurred and sends a positive message to all families experiencing grief from the loss of their loved ones.
It is important to celebrate this holiday with the most authentic and respectful approach possible. Each element of this celebration has a long history and purposeful meaning.
I find the botanical element between people and plants most interesting here. Celebrants begin the Day of the Dead when their most dominant harvest is gone and immediately afterwards look festively at their lost loved ones. Through an ethnobotany lens (the scientific study of an area’s plants and the traditional knowledge and practices related to their medical, religious, and other uses) we can see that plants and people have coexisted in ancient, rich traditions .
I invite you to get in touch with botanicals this season and make your own paper flower decor!
DIY Traditional Día de los Muertos paper flowers
Traditional paper flowers are used during Day of the Dead to create a vibrant backdrop and to replace fresh flowers when they are not available. It’s a great activity to do with your family or friends! Vibrant colors are highly recommended to invite all the spirits to the festivities, so choose bright colors for your tissue paper.
You will need:
Multicolored tissue paper and scissors
How to do that:
- Place three sheets of unfolded colored tissue paper (5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″) on a flat surface and stack them on top of each other.
- Fold it in half and then into quarters.
- Cut the top of the quartered paper stack with scissors to create curved or pointed petals.
- Hold the base of the flower and gently open the petals.
- Repeat steps 1–4 to make more flowers.
- Place your flowers on an altar or give them to someone special.
- Take a photo and tag your flowers @WishGardenHerbs on social media. We’d love to see them!
Lauren Ann Nichols-Sheffler attended the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism and received her certificate in Medical Herbalism. She owns it Blue yarrow herbs also known as Herbal Vice, an herbal product company that practices bioregional herbal medicine by growing plants and sourcing locally. Lauren loves educating and advocating for plant sustainability. She is the purchasing and sourcing manager for WishGarden Herbs.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
Main photo: Carnival participants celebrating the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico, wear traditional Cempasuchil flowers, known to many as Calendula flowers. Courtesy of photo given to the Coast News Group.
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