November 1st and 2nd mark Día de Muertos and Google did not miss the opportunity to celebrate it by incorporating it into the Google Doodle.
Per Google, this delectable visual representation of Día de Muertos was done by doodler, Lydia Nichols, an award-winning illustrator and author who has done plenty of Google Doodles before. This doodle was unique because Nichols handcrafted real sugar to create the imagery, which honors the tradition of Día de Muertos participants creating sugar skulls or calaveras de azúcar. Additional images of the process can be found here.
These sugar skulls are meant to remember and honor the person who has passed away. They are made of granulated sugar, meringue powder, and water. They are then molded into a skull and decorated with bright colors. This tradition, or the designs at least, can be seen on masks, makeup, and clothing worn on the day.
This isn’t the first time Google has celebrated Día de Muertos with a doodle.
2021’s Google Doodle for Día de Muertos had the Google logo spelled out in marigold (cempasúchil) flowers. A family member can be seen at the end of the trail, spreading the petals to lead their loved ones back home. The windows also have candles lit, welcoming the spirit to their altars.
2020’s Google doodle for Día de Muertos also heavily featured a cempasúchil as one of the “O’s” in Google, as well as bordering the four sides of the doodle.
And the 2019 Google Doodle for Día de Muertos features La Catrina, “a finely dressed skeletal woman, also known as the “Grand Lady of Death” of Mexico, has become an icon of the season” according to Google.
Día de Muertos has long been a holiday celebrated in Mexico that welcomes the spirits of our loved ones across two days. November 1 is when angelitos, or the spirits of young children get to come back home. The day that follows is a time for the loved ones who were adults at the time of passing. Altars are created by their living relatives and filled with offerings such as food and drink.
