The Day of the Dead is a traditional celebration that It takes place every November 1 and 2 in Mexico, although other places in Latin America have been inspired by it to also honor their dead.
You would think that, because it is the Day of the Dead, the predominant color in this celebration is black, because it is, but that is not the case, and it is a very colorful and even joyful celebration.
All these colors are present in offerings, and each one has a meaning, as the following.
Purple: favorite color
The colors of the papel picado to decorate different spaces can be various, but one of the main ones is purple, since it is the favorite, also for offerings such as velvet flowers, tablecloths, etc.
Although it is a color that can be seen as cheerful, it is widely used because it has a religious background, linked to Catholicism, where, by the way, the color purple symbolizes hope, even mourning.
Blue: source of life
It is common to place water on the altar because it is an offering that helps relieve the thirst of the deceased for the journey they have made to their home.
For some, water is also the purity of the souls, as well as a source of life for the souls, associated of course with the color blue.
White: elements of purity and death
White is par excellence a color considered pure, which is why elements such as white tablecloths are used to reflect purity.
White candles are also usually chosen, which means faith and hope, guiding, through them, the dead on their return.
The skulls on these dates come in many colors, but their base is usually white, which has no other meaning than death.
Yellow: candle lighting
Although the candles carried on the Day of the Dead are usually white, the light generated is perceived as yellow.
As each candle represents a deceased person, the flame represents the person’s soul, which is synonymous with energy.
Orange: marigold flower
Nahua beliefs point out that orange is the only color among all that is visible to the dead on their return from the afterlife to the land of the living, being seen in many elements.
It is specifically the cempasuchil flowers that play a great role because they are orange, since a path is made with petals so that the dead can follow it with the greatest ease.