Every culture has a memorial day for the dead. However, if many people mourn the ones that passed away, then the Mexican Day of the Dead is one of the most spectacular and fun events in the whole country! In Mexico, they have a completely different attitude towards death: for them, it is not the end of life, but its continuation in another world!
Altars with colorful flowers, candles, unique complex makeup, and skull masks, bright fabrics and perforated paper figures, serpentines, garlands, balloons — let’s dive into the vibrant world of the Day of the Dead decoration ideas!
Fresh ideas for the traditional holiday
On the 1st and 2nd of November, everything here in Mexico seems to be turned upside down: night turns into day, the cemetery becomes the most popular place in the city to have fun, the living put on the masks of the dead, and the dead “come to life”. Unlike Halloween, nobody wears scary costumes, and the decor is always bright and cheerful.
What decorations are used for Day of the Dead? One of the symbols of the Day of the Dead is Katrina (a skeleton dressed in a European dress and hat) and a skull. Other important symbols of the celebration are the altar (Ofrenda), the Pan de Los Muertos treats, and the traditional orange marigold flowers.
These and other symbols are widely used in decorating Mexican homes and streets. Check out some Day of the Dead party balloon decoration ideas that will help your party stand out!
Orange-Black Balloon Garland
To create a simple two-tone garland, you can use orange and white inflatables:
- pull the fishing line between two objects;
- inflate 2 orange balloons, cross the loose necks, twist and tie them in a knot;
- make the same bundle of white balls;
- cross the bundles of orange and white items and twist them;
- attach a bundle of 4 balls to the line, twist two inflatables around it while holding the other pair. Then, secure the bundle;
- do the same with all other bundles;
- decorate your garland with ready-made Mylar sugar skull balloons, fresh flowers, greenery, and pom-poms.
Skeleton as a Buffet
The buffet is the central place of your party, so create unique decor for this festive location!
If you’re looking for stunning Day of the Dead decorations ideas, here’s the one you need:
- buy a ready-made human-sized skeleton in a decor store and put it on the festive table;
- fill the skeleton’s abdominal cavity with snacks or sweets;
- arrange sugar skulls and live marigold buds around it.
And do not forget to warn the most impressionable guests about a big surprise waiting for them at the buffet!
Glow Balloons with Sugar Skulls
Typically, sugar skulls are placed on altars, with the names of deceased relatives attached to them. At the end of the celebration, the landlords give them to their friends as gifts.
Sugar skulls are an ancient tradition and one of the most popular Day of the Dead-themed party ideas. Such DIY decor is a great way to show your creativity!
You will need the following supplies:
- balloons;
- glue sticks;
- tape;
- markers;
- paint;
- glitter and sequins.
If you don't want to mess around with jewelry for hours, you can download Sugar Skull stencils online and then print them out. Glue these templates onto inflated balloons and your sugar skull décor is ready!
Themed Photozone
To create a bright photo backdrop, just do the following:
- hang a beautiful fabric on the wall (you can use tinsel curtains);
- decorate the foreground with bright latex balloons (opt for the symbolic colors of the celebration — white, red, orange, and yellow);
- add fresh marigold flowers, snow-white cardboard bones, and skulls to make your photo zone match the style of el Día de Los Muertos!
Wreath of Marigold flowers
These adorable wreaths are the simplest Day of the Dead decorations to make!
To create them, you can use marigold or calendula flowers (they stay fresh for a long time without water), or opt for tissue flowers.
How to make your wreath:
- cut off fresh calendula buds and glue them to the ready-made vine wreath using a glue gun;
- to create a casually stylish asymmetric look, group flowers more densely on one side.
Day Of The Dead Piñata
To create these traditional Mexican decorations for Day of the Dead, do the following:
- draw a shape on two sheets of cardboard, carefully cut out two identical skulls;
- cut 2” cardboard strips to form part of your piñata;
- using the pieces of masking tape, start connecting the front, back and sides of the cardboard together. Cut a small hole in the base of the Piñata, so that you can fill it with candies and chocolates later;
- cut out the fringe strips and glue them to your skulls with transparent glue, starting from the base;
- print out skull printables and cut each shape with scissors. Glue them to the front of the Piñata with transparent glue;
- fill your Piñata with treats. Then, cover the hole with transparent tape!
Skull Balloons
Creating this décor element is quite easy:
- print your SVG template and cut it out (a 5.5” picture will fit perfectly on a regular latex balloon);
- attach the skull to the balloon after removing the vinyl jaw from the paper backing and glue it to the balloon;
- then, glue the nose and eyes;
- cut off excess vinyl edges with scissors.
3D Calavera Masks
There are plenty of Day of the Dead celebration costume ideas, but not everyone has the time and wishes to make something special. These masks will help guests that have no costumes and make-up to “join the team”!
3D Calavera Masks Tutorial:
- print out the template and cut it out;
- add some sparkles to it;
- stick the two side panels with masking tape to the back of the mask;
- glue the middle panels together, secure them at the back with masking tape;
- attach a tape to both sides of the mask (you can also attach a stick to it and use it as a support for the photo!
Pumpkin Candles
If ready-made candleholders seem too boring, you can make them with your own hands! Start with buying some good pumpkins of different sizes:
- come up with a drawing or download a stencil;
- apply a pattern to the surface of the pumpkin;
- cut the outline of the image;
- cut the top of the pumpkin. Do not throw away the “lid” with a tail: you will need it to cover the pumpkin;
- remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon;
- cut through holes along the contour of the picture;
- arrange a place for a candle or put battery-powered LED lights inside.
Balloons Bouquet
Bright balloon bouquets are widely used in the decor of any event, especially such colorful celebrations as Mexican Day of the Dead!
The El Día de Muertos bouquet will be dominated by white, red, orange, black, and yellow balloons; you can add some beautiful Mylar pumpkin and skull items. To make the bouquet even more gorgeous, you can decorate it with fresh marigold flowers and orange pom-poms.
Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda
Creating Ofrendas dates back to the time of the Aztecs. Traditional Ofrendas are composed of three levels that represent the underworld, earth, and sky:
- The lower level is filled with candles to illuminate the way for the dead and water to help them freshen up.
- The second level contains the favorite items of the deceased, tamales and mole, sugarcane, fruits, and spirits.
- On the upper level, there are photographs, pictures of saints, and other religious objects.
To spice up your Ofrenda and make it more fun and colorful, you can add themed Day of the Dead helium balloons, beautiful snow-white balloons wrapped in sheer tulle, or use glowing balloons to create cozy lighting.
Skeleton made of Balloons
If you’re looking for simple, but stunning homemade Dia de Los Muertos decorations, make some skulls and crossbones! You will need a bunch of regular round and long white balloons and a black marker. Draw the skull faces of the round inflatables, and the bones on the long ones, then fix them together!
Also, you can make more complex decorations using round white balls and twisting balloons, but this requires some skills to work with twisting inflatables.
Cookies with pumpkins and skulls
In stores, you can find ready-made sets that include tins for baking homemade cookies and all the necessary ingredients for decorating them:
- orange and black glaze;
- green, black, and yellow chewing gumdrops;
- a mixture of confetti sprinkles;
- decorative bags.
Balloon Arch
You can make a large arch with a frame (this is one of the most common Dia de los Muertos outdoor decorations), or you can create a more minimalistic version of the semi-arch by attaching inflatables to the base that is fixed to the wall or in the doorway.
In addition to balloons of traditional holiday colors, you can decorate your arch with skull and pumpkin-shaped Mylar balloons.
Garland of Skulls and Marigold flowers
Because of having no rigid frame, the garland can be easily attached to a wide variety of surfaces: the flexible design allows you to use it to decorate doorways, window openings, and individual elements of the interior and exterior.
Using balls of holiday-themed colors and some Mylar skulls and marigold flowers, you can make a stunning garland for your Day of the Dead party!
Decorating your Dia de Los Muertos party
Despite the frightening name, this holiday evokes extremely positive emotions; bright colors and an explosion of national flavor help create an unforgettable atmosphere — all this has its own unique energy.
We believe that these Dia de los Muertos decorations ideas will help you amplify that energy! Balloons Online provides the best balloons for any occasion at prices that make sense. Check us out at balloons.online!
