Make an Ofrenda for the Dia de Muertos Step by Step
Enjoy creating your Día de Muertos altar with family and friends, and cherish the memories that come with it.
I’ve partnered with Family Dollar to share with you some great ideas to create a colorful and special ofrenda or altar de muertos in your home.
Day of the dead or Dia de Muertos was probably my favorite tradition when I was a kid. I have vivid memories of me with my mother, little brothers and sister putting together the ofrenda. Our favorite part was helping mom cut pieces of tissue paper to make the papel picado! We also loved taking out old albums to look at pictures of our family members and friends who have passed away. My mom used to make us hot chocolate and tell us stories about my grandpa while we helped her with the ofrenda and that was pretty awesome.
This year, I got to make my ofrenda with a little help from my baby. Okay, he’s only 7 months old, so he wasn’t much help in the traditional sense, but his nap time while I worked on the altar was a huge blessing. Now that my ofrenda is all set up at home, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!
Below, you'll find a list of all the essential elements to include in your Día de Muertos ofrenda, along with some tips to help you personalize and make it truly special.
How to Make a Dia de Muertos Altar or Ofrenda. Step by step:
When setting up your ofrenda or altar de muertos, find a spot in your home where it’ll really pop—like a table in your kitchen or dining room. You can keep it simple with a tablecloth or get a bit crafty with a colorful table runner made from card stock, just like I did.
1. Make papel picado
One of the best parts of Día de Muertos decor is papel picado. It’s all about those cheerful, cut-out paper designs. You can buy some beautiful pre-made ones, but making your own is super easy and fun. Just cut tissue paper into small rectangles and then snip out shapes like squares, triangles, and circles.
In the Día de Muertos tradition, papel picado represents the wind, bringing a lively touch to your altar.
2. Add photos of your loved ones.
Dig out those old photo albums and find pictures of your loved ones who have passed away. It’s a wonderful chance to share stories and memories about them with your family.
For my altar, I chose to honor Frida Kahlo, Selena Quintanilla, and Pedro Infante—icons who represent my culture with pride and whom I deeply admire.
3. Add some candles to your Dia de Muertos Ofrenda
Get a few candles of different sizes and colors to make the ofrenda more fun. The candles represent fire in your altar.
4. Add water
Add a glass of water to the altar. Water is added to quench the thirst of the dead when they arrive to your home on Dia de Muertos.
5. Create a banquet
Add any food and beverages that your loved ones used to love! It’s at the end, a great way to remember all those things they used to enjoy in life.
6. Don’t forget the flowers
Marigolds are the classic choice for Día de Muertos, and they really bring a vibrant, festive feel to your ofrenda. I scored some marigold-like flowers from Family Dollar, and they turned out great! Artificial flowers are super handy because you can reuse them year after year, plus they come in lots of colors, which is perfect for this celebration.
7. Add a sugar skull for your Dia de Muertos Altar.
Sugar skulls might seem a bit somber at first, but they actually represent something really meaningful. For the ancient Mesoamericans, death was just another stage of life, not something to fear.
This year, I couldn’t find the usual sugar skulls at my local store, so I decided to get creative and paint a ceramic skull myself. I decorated it with markers to give it a personal touch and make sure it added that special element to my ofrenda.
You could also create your ow homemade version using white chocolate using this tutorial here.
I hope you have a great time putting together your ofrenda for Día de Muertos this year! It’s such a special tradition that helps us remember and celebrate our loved ones.
While you’re setting up your altar, I hope you find joy in the little touches and the stories you share with family. It’s a wonderful chance to honor those who have passed and make new memories while keeping the tradition alive.
Enjoy every moment of this heartfelt process and the warmth it adds to your home.
Pedro Infante Dia de Muertos Altar
Here is another altar I created a few years ago:
How to Make a Day of the Dead Altar?
The process is pretty similar, and this one gives you a straightforward look at all the key elements you’ll want to include for your Día de Muertos altar this year. It’s a simple guide to help you get everything just right and make your celebration special.
More Dia de Muertos craft ideas here:
