The Day of the Dead is a traditional holiday marked in Mexico to honour and remember deceased loved ones. This day involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and remember friends and family members who have died. This year, Day of the Dead 2025 falls on Sunday, November 2. Families build beautiful altars decorated with photos, candles, marigold flowers, food, and personal items of the deceased to mark this day.

In this article, let’s know more about the Day of the Dead 2025 date, history and the significance of this annual Mexican tradition honouring the dead. From Altars & Ofrendas to Calaveras Face Painting & Pan De Muerto, Everything You Need To Know About Día de los Muertos

Day of the Dead 2025 Date

Day of the Dead 2025 falls on Sunday, November 2.

Day of The Dead History

The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) in Mexico has deep historical roots that date back more than 3,000 years. The Aztecs, Mayans, and other Mesoamerican cultures believed that death was a natural part of life’s cycle and that the souls of the dead continued to exist in another realm. Hence, they held annual rituals to honour the deceased. After the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, they brought Catholic observances like All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Instead of erasing Indigenous customs, the two traditions merged, giving rise to the ‘Day of the Dead’. Day of the Dead: Five Things to Know About the Día de los Muertos Holiday Celebrated by the Mexicans.

The day was moved to early November to align with the Christian calendar, but it retained many Indigenous elements like altars and offerings of food and drink. These offerings are meant to welcome the spirits back to the world of the living.  In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Day of The Dead Significance

Day of the Dead is a traditional day that holds great spiritual and cultural significance. Unlike the somber mourning, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of life and memory, rooted in ancient Aztec customs blended with Catholic beliefs. The holiday is marked for two days, November 1 and November 2, which coincides with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, symbolising a time when the spirits of the departed return to visit their families.

The Day of the Dead celebrates the idea that death is not the end, but a natural part of the human journey, a time to cherish memories, express love, and affirm the cycle of life and death. People also visit cemeteries, play music, share stories, and prepare traditional foods like pan de muerto to mark this day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 01, 2025 04:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).