Among the flowers and candles on a Day of the Dead altar, you’ll often find a photograph of someone the family misses. Seeing their face helps you understand why a particular dish or a well-loved belonging has a place beside it. These are things chosen with that person in mind.
During Día de los Muertos, celebrated mainly on November 1 and 2, many families in Mexico and Mexican communities elsewhere prepare an ofrenda, an altar with offerings for loved ones who have died. Photos sit alongside favorite foods and belongings that bring back memories of their lives. Every family arranges theirs a little differently, depending on whom they’re remembering.
Welcoming someone home
For families who believe the souls of their loved ones return during the holiday, preparing an ofrenda is a way to welcome them home. They set out offerings and may use flower petals and candles to guide the way. The photograph shows who they’re waiting to welcome.
The everyday things on the altar make sense when you think of it this way. You remember what someone liked to eat, so you put out their favorite dish. You choose something they used or cared about because it reminds you of them. Beside their photo, those familiar things feel especially personal.
Giving a face to family stories
A photo can get a conversation going. Someone notices how young the person looks, recognizes a familiar expression, or remembers the day the picture was taken. One memory can lead to another as the family gathers around.
For a younger family member who never met that person, a photograph gives them a face to go with the stories. They can look at their great-grandparent and perhaps notice the same eyes or smile in someone sitting nearby.
Those conversations can bring up different feelings at once. You might miss someone terribly and still laugh when you remember something funny they did.
Keeping the photograph close
Choosing a photo for an ofrenda can take some thought. A formal portrait might be the one that feels right. Or you might prefer an everyday picture because the smile in it is exactly how you remember them.
Some families leave those photographs on display after the holiday. A framed print or one of our custom photo crystals can keep a familiar face close throughout the year, somewhere at home where you can see it and share a memory when it comes to mind.
