I was going to make a comic but I thought a thread would be easier for people to read and understand!

Dia De los Muertos and How to properly celebrate it for non Mexican/Latine people: A thread by a tired Mexican.

Disclaimer: Some Mexicans are fine with some of the stuff on this thread, but never assume all of us are thinking the same!

It is not some spooky holiday for you to dress up like a Sexy Catrina, Sugar skull and so on (Too many of these costumes are being sold, and I hate them)
It is a day for our ancestors and family members to visit our homes and for us to remember and celebrate their lives!

It's a joyful and amazing holiday, mixing both Hispanic and Aztec roots that most Mexicans have. It is not some gloomy zombie day! We see death way different than what most americans see it. We see this holiday as a day for us to enjoy life. But most americans don't see this.

Big name stores have made Dia de los Muertos into a new marketable holiday (Ex: Cinco de Mayo). I have seen many stores have costumes, decor, candy and other items plastered with sugar skulls. Yes they are pretty but buying their stuff is not a proper way to celebrate it!

Here are some important points:
- Do go to Mexican/Latine run Day of the Dead events near you. These are usually done for good causes, and it is a great way to learn our culture and traditions. We love to share our traditions and show others the beauty of our culture.

-Do support your local hispanic/Latine! Buy their art, their food, their services! You can even buy Pan de Muertos from your local panaderia, nothing is more authentic than the stuff we make. Do not buy from big stores, they could care less about our culture!

-Do research, learn about the history of the culture and join your Mexican friends in their celebration! We love to invite anyone to join! Sometimes I teach friends how to make their own mini altars for their loved ones!

-Don't use Dia de los Muertos as a drinking excuse :(
- No, you cannot eat sugar skulls, unless you want your stomach to scream at you.
- It is disrespectful to eat food and drinks from the altars, it is not for you, it is for the spirits to enjoy.

-Sugar skulls are not a fashion statement, Catrinas are not supposed to be sexy costumes, and having sugar skull tattoos if you're not of Latine (especifically Mexican), Is cultural appropriation. Don't do that.
Thanks for coming to my ted talk.