day of the dead traditional decorations

Skull images celebrate Mexico's Day of the dead in colorful coasters by Ana Maria Gonzalez. Working in decoupage on pinewood, she depicts the flirty Catrina in her feathered hat, a sugar skull, a bony skeleton with flowers in her hair and a geometric skull. The set of four arrives with a pinewood stand for storage and display.

Artisan Luis Morales of Mexico crafts a charming ceramic Catrina to grace your mantel or shelf. Formed by hand from clay, her ensemble is carefully painted in blue with assorted flowers and white ruffles. Her hair is braided and she holds a basket filled with fruits and vegetables. The elegant figure is based on a satirical etching created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada around 1910-1913. With his etching, Posada poked fun at those Mexican natives who tried to emulate the fashion and habits of the European aristocracy. Today, la Catrina has become the instantly recognizable icon of Día de los Muertos (Mexico's Day of the Dead).

Mexican artisan Javier Ramirez pays homage to the cultural tradition of skeletal catrinas with this "tree of life" sculpture. In the center, a lovely catrina skeleton holds a bouquet while wearing a floral dress, surrounded by figurines depicting flowers and skulls. Each piece is diligently crafted from ceramic and painted by hand, assembled by steel wire.

Not intended for use with candles.

This chest treasures the timeless allure of Catrina, as first developed by renowned Mexican caricaturist José Guadalupe Posadas. Personifying death, Catrina is a coquettish character that symbolizes Mexican customs and beliefs. She is portrayed eating a watermelon and drinking tequila in a decoupage composition by Ana Maria Gonzalez. She uses it to adorn a pinewood box featuring iron fixtures.

Part of NOVICA's Dia de los Muertos collection.

Arriving from Mexico, this set of four decoupage coasters features motifs that depict charming skulls with hearts. Ana Maria Gonzalez is proud to present her own designs in these round, multicolored coasters that bring a touch of Mexico's Day of the Dead traditions to your home. Includes a dark brown wood holder.

Ready to celebrate the Day of the Dead, this cute duck comes to your home with hand-painted details inspired by the famous Catrina, an icon of Mexican culture. Indonesia's Ira S. crafts the sculpture from bamboo root and teak wood, making a lovely decorative accent full of tradition.

Inspired by Day of the Dead imagery, Mexican artisan Oscar Figueroa Escorcia designs a beautiful pendant necklace. Detailed with intricate floral motifs, a skull is crafted of sterling silver after the tradition of Taxco silversmithing. A combination of finishes completes the design.

Rich in symbolism and bursting with color, this hot pink ceramic skull wall art captures the essence of the Day of the Dead in every dazzling brushstroke. Intricate patterns highlight its festive spirit, making it a bold accent for any space. Crafted and painted by hand by Mexico’s Jorge Escamilla, it’s a decorative accessory that honors tradition while standing out with unmistakable character.

Hand-carved of rich suar wood, a cheery skull smiles from this puzzle box. Balinese artisan Wayan Rendah designs the box, featuring three separate pieces that must be removed before revealing its interior.

From the handicrafts mecca that is Tlaquepaque, Mexico, comes this vibrant hand-painted skull by Maria and Esteban. Dark eyebrows frame a smiling cerulean face while small maize-colored flowers and festive peacocks in tangerine and fuchsia adorn the back and sides. Bold explosions of color characterize Mexican folklore, and this decorative skull is an excellent example of this tradition.

Husband and wife duo Zeny and Reyna from Oaxaca grew up with the tradition of carving alebrijes (fantastical figurines of real and imagined animals); both of their parents were master carvers in that region's traditional folk art. Here they create a wildly colorful dragon in a contorted, acrobatic pose. The dragon is carved by hand from copal wood and painted in a rainbow of psychedelic colors.

Small parts are separated for shipping to protect from breakage.It is said that Oaxaca's alebrije tradition descends directly from Mexico City artisan Pedro Linares (1906-1992). When he was 30, he became seriously ill and fell into a sort of coma. While he was unconscious, he had a most fantastic dream. He was caught between the land of the living and the dead; the place looked like a forest and was populated with creatures with body parts belonging to different animals. The beings repeatedly uttered the word alebrije, and when Linares woke up, he recreated these figures in vivid colors using papier mache techniques and called them alebrijes . His work became famous and eventually influenced artisans in the state of Oaxaca who decided to craft alebrijes using traditional wood carving methods and according to that region's world vision.

Working in the time-honored tradition of Talavera ceramics, Ivan Martinez creates this pretty decorative plate. The plate is crafted from ceramic and painted by hand with 'La Calavera Catrina' before receiving the final glaze.

The original "La Calavera Catrina" was a zinc etching created by the artist José Guadalupe Posada in Mexico around 1910. Posada created the character, a female skeleton with an elegant hat, as a satirical portrait of Mexican natives who aspired to European style and denied their own heritage. The catrina has since become an emblem of Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration and a popular folk art subject.