What Is Day of the Dead? Google Doodle Honors Mexico's Annual Tradition

Anyone searching on Google today may have noticed a change to the familiar logo which has been created to mark Mexico's annual Day of the Dead celebrations.

Inspired by the traditional holiday, the new Google logo inspiration comes courtesy of illustrator Lydia Nichols whose sugar-based font incorporates two candy skulls in a reference to the sweet treats shared out by friends and family on the Day of the Dead.

What Is the Day of the Dead?

Traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, and provincially on other days such as October 31 and November 6, the origins of Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday is the source of some debate as to whether it originates from the indigenous Aztec population of Mexico or is of Spanish origin.

Some academics point to traditions honoring the dead that date back to before Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas in 1492. However, others claim similar traditions can be traced back to Medieval Europe and celebrations like All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, which were observed in countries like Spain.

Day of the Dead differs significantly in tone from those Christian festivals though with the holiday serving as a period of celebration rather than mourning. It's traditionally viewed as a day when the souls of the dead visit the living and an opportunity for friends and family to come together to remember those who have died by sharing fond remembrances and stories about the departed.

It is tradition on the Day of the Dead for mourners to build private altars featuring the deceased's favorite foods and beverages alongside photos of the departed and other memorabilia. They are created to coax the souls of those who have left to visit them and hear their prayers. The altars are traditionally built at home or in public spaces though in some instances they have been set up in cemeteries close to the tombs of those who passed.

Decorative skulls known as calaveras feature prominently either in clay form or from sugar placed as offerings or ofrendas at the private altars or as gifts to friends. Gravesites are also decorated with marigold flowers dubbed Flor de Muerto or Flower of Dead because of the belief their strong scent is able to guide souls home.

Friends and family share a type of sweet bread known as pan de muerto while some write and perform calaveras literarias, a light-hearted form of poetry that serves an irreverent epitaph to those who have been lost.

Why Is Google Celebrating the Day of the Dead?

Today's Google has been crafted by Lydia Nichols from real sugar to honor the traditions of the Day of the Dead.

The concept of the Google Doodle dates back to 1998 when founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin decorated the company logo to indicate they were attending the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert and would be "out of office."

Two years later, webmaster Dennis Hwang, who was an intern at the time, was enlisted to create a Doodle to mark Bastille Day. It proved so popular that the Doodles became something of a regular fixture for celebrating and highlighting a variety of holidays, events, anniversaries and individuals.

Commenting on their latest Doodle, Google said: "Today streets pulse to Spanish folk songs as one of Mexico's most important annual celebrations begins—Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos! Today, people in skeleton face paint pass by homes showcasing vibrant skulls made from sugar or clay. The Doodle artwork is crafted from real sugar to honor the tradition!"

"Whether Mexicans are at home, the cemetery or a local parade, the day is filled with stories and laughter to commemorate loved ones and ancestors. Happy Day of the Dead, Mexico!"