Local Family Shares How to Build a Día de los Muertos Ofrenda With Your Kids

My family began celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) when our local Long Beach library offered free kits to make ofrendas (offerings/altars) at home during the pandemic in 2020. It felt like the perfect way to introduce our then-1 and 6-year-old children to their Mexican roots and culture.

Día de los Muertos, an annual autumnal gathering on Nov. 1 and 2, is a time when people celebrate, rather than mourn, their loved ones who have died. For centuries, the Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica gathered to call on the spirits who traveled from the inframundo (underworld) to return home. As the practice fused with Spanish influence, the tradition grew into the celebrations that still occur today in several Latin American countries and, increasingly, in the U.S. To remember and celebrate, families build ofrendas in cemeteries or their homes. The list of things that can go on the altar is extensive, but ofrendas are generally adorned with carefully arranged photos of dead loved ones, cempasúchil flowers (marigolds), candles and pan de muerto, a special bread made to resemble bones. People also place food, water and special mementos on the altar to call on spirits. Families also take the celebration as an opportunity to talk about their ancestors and teach the next generation their cultural traditions.

While my partner grew up visiting the state of Nayarit, Mexico and experienced his relatives practicing the tradition of building ofrendas and gathering in local cemeteries, his immediate family did not celebrate Día de los Muertos when they came to the U.S. As parents, we have chosen to bring it back and practice his ancestors' tradition of building an ofrenda with our children. Death is often perceived as a sad thing, but for people who celebrate Día de los Muertos, it's a reminder to cherish the living and the dead and remember their contributions to life.

Crafting Your Ofrenda

An ofrenda is a beautiful expression of love to commemorate those who hold a special place in our hearts, and it can be simple or elaborate. Here is a list of materials and guiding steps to craft your ofrenda.

• Collect the materials for the structure: You can either use a small table and cover it with fabric or build the ofrenda using the following supplies:
  
  • Shoe box or other recycled boxes
  • Black construction paper or black paint
  • Scissors
  • Tape or glue

• Gather objects for the ofrenda: This is where you add your personal touch to the ofrenda using things like:
  
  • Photos of loved ones who have died
  • Velas (candles)
  • Cempasúchiles (marigolds)
  • Pan de muerto and your loved one's favorite foods and drinks
  • A cup of water
  • Calaveras (skulls)
  • Papel picado (an intricately designed tissue paper banner)
  • Special items that the dead cherished. I placed a small R2-D2 figurine for my brother because he loved "Star Wars." I added Werther's Original caramel candies for my grandmother because they were her favorite candy.

• Craft! My family spends an afternoon building and decorating our ofrenda a few days before Día de los Muertos. We like to make our ofrenda out of a shoe box wrapped in black paper using tape (I have found it's the best way to do it when working with younger children). Here are a few more things you can craft for the ofrenda:
  
  • Tissue paper flowers: We like to make orange flowers with tissue paper and pipe cleaners. Making them is easy with the proper instructions.
  Measurements Flowers
  • Calaveras: We use white modeling clay to make calaveras (skulls) and decorate them with paint and plastic gems.
    
• Shop! This is a fun step because you can take your kids to local shops and support your community vendors. Make sure you do your shopping early because panaderías and florerías will often sell out of cempasúchil and pan de muerto. Here are a few spots our family visits:
  
  • The panadería (bread shop) to pick up pan de muerto or pan de ánimas (soul bread)
  • The florería (flower shop) to pick up fresh cempasúchiles

Once you have gathered all your materials, you can arrange the ofrenda any way you please. Remember, choosing how to make your ofrenda is up to you and your family, so there is no right or wrong way! You can also check out Self-Help Graphics' free downloadable Día de los Muertos resources:

• Día de los Muertos Activity Book
• Mi Ofrenda activity: altar base, English coloring page, Spanish coloring page
• Coloring pages: calacas dance, candy, doll

Día de los Muertos in L.A.

Here are a few fantastic free events where you and your family can celebrate Día de los Muertos in Los Angeles:

• Grand Park's Downtown annual Día de los Muertos celebration takes place from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2. It's a community-oriented event that invites visitors to contribute to the community altars.
• Olvera Street celebrates with the Día de los Muertos Festival from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2. There is a community ofrenda, procession, music, face-painting and la danza del muerto (dance of the dead). Check the schedule online to see what events are happening each day. 
• The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) celebrates with Día de Los Muertos: Fuerza y Esperanza on Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will be music, food, speakers, a sugar skull competition, and a movie!
• Self-Help Graphics celebrates the organization's 49th annual Día de Los Muertos celebration on Nov. 5 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Since 1973, Self-Help Graphics staff have gathered in Los Angeles to build ofrendas and celebrate Día de los Muertos with community members. Families can also take part in the Noche de Ofrenda event on Nov. 2.

Bilingual Vocabulary for Día de los Muertos

There are a lot of Día de los Muertos vocabulary words! These are the English translations for some common ones. Can you say cempasúchil?