Houses and streets are decorated with paper and flower garlands. Bright orange marigold flowers, commonly known as “flowers of the dead,” are believed to attract the souls of loved ones to ofrendas through their scent.

Here are some ofrendas used and why:

• Burning candles: Candles add a festive glow to ofrendas.
• Pictures of deceased relatives: Used to customize and memorialize lost loved ones.
• Marigold flowers: Flowers are placed on sidewalks to make it easier for the deceased to reach their loved ones.
• Memorial to the deceased: Personal items such as playing cards, a watch or glasses, or other memorabilia that belonged to the deceased.
• Smoking: Matter is symbolically transformed into spiritual. Mesoamerican cultures use copal, a sacred incense, for important occasions and ceremonies.
• Tiny Sugar Skulls: These little sweets are enjoyed during the celebrations. They represent the sweetness of life.
• Mezcal or water: The deceased are offered bottles of mezcal or atole, a traditional hot corn drink, to accompany them on their long journey to the land of the dead.
• Bread of the Dead: To represent our own mortality and our bones, the bread has four stripes at the top, forming a cross.