Day of the Dead in Mexico: another way to celebrate the dead
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While France silently commemorates its dead with chrysanthemums, across the Atlantic, Mexico brings out colors, music, and orange flowers to celebrate its deceased. The same date, the same underlying intention (to remember), yet two completely opposite atmospheres. 🌼
An origin much older than you think
Unlike All Saints' Day, the Día de los Muertos does not originate from the Catholic calendar. Its roots trace back to pre-Columbian civilizations, particularly the Aztecs, who already celebrated their dead over several weeks, under the protection of the goddess Mictecacíhuatl, guardian of the underworld. With the arrival of Spanish colonists, these rituals gradually merged with All Saints' Day and the Catholic Day of the Dead, giving birth to the current celebration, set on the same dates of November 1st and 2nd.
Two radically different ways to remember
🇫🇷 In France
- Silent contemplation
- Cemeteries and chrysanthemums
- Sober tones, grey, white
- Death remains a serious subject
🇲🇽 In Mexico
- Festive and colorful celebration
- Home altars and music
- Orange, pink, bright yellow
- Death is part of life
In Mexico, people don't mourn their dead on Día de los Muertos; they invite them to return. November 1st is traditionally reserved for the souls of children (Día de los Angelitos), and November 2nd for those of adults.
Symbols to know
An altar set up at home with photos, favorite dishes, and drinks of the deceased, to welcome them for a night.
This vibrant orange marigold flower is arranged as a path to the altar: its scent and color are said to guide souls to their families.
Colorful sugar skulls, often personalized with a loved one's first name, given as offerings rather than feared.
Finely cut paper banners that rustle in the wind to symbolize the passing of souls.
The detail closest to our world is precisely the cempasúchil: a flower believed to evoke a memory through its scent. Exactly the principle we discussed in our article on why scents bring back memories.
Before a fragrance is approved by us, there are often several back-and-forths between our workshop in Brittany and our master perfumer in Grasse, to adjust every nuance until the scent exactly matches the imagined story.
Two ways of celebrating, one same idea at heart: nothing truly disappears as long as we continue to remember it. ✨
