An ofrenda is not a “Day of the Dead decoration.” It’s a home altar—an offering—built with love and intention to honor people who have died, and to make space for memory to feel close again. In many Mexican and Mexican American families, an ofrenda is also a bridge: between generations, between stories, and between the living and the dead. If you are building one for the first time, it can feel tender and a little intimidating—especially if you want to be culturally respectful and not reduce a meaningful tradition to aesthetics.
This guide is meant to help you build a Día de los Muertos ofrenda that feels heartfelt, practical, and grounded in tradition. You’ll learn what each element symbolizes, how to keep it simple without losing meaning, and how modern families sometimes adapt an altar when they are also navigating cremation, keeping ashes at home, or funeral planning. Smithsonian sources describe ofrendas as rooted in family memory and community practice, and they highlight how everyday objects—water, candles, flowers—carry purpose on the altar (Smithsonian Magazine; Smithsonian Folklife).
What an ofrenda is (and what it is not)
The word “ofrenda” literally means “offering.” Traditionally, families build an altar to welcome loved ones’ spirits with light, scent, food, and remembrance. The goal is not to “prove” anything. The goal is to honor, to remember, and to create a space where love can be expressed in physical form—photos, candles, flowers, favorite foods, and personal objects.
If you are building an ofrenda outside the culture, the most respectful approach is to treat it like a relationship, not a trend. Learn from Mexican voices, ask permission if you are participating in a family tradition that isn’t originally yours, and avoid mixing sacred elements with Halloween imagery in ways that flatten meaning. Smithsonian Folklife emphasizes that Día de los Muertos has many regional and family variants, and it outlines common altar elements like salt, water, copal, cempasúchil (marigolds), candles, food, and photographs (Smithsonian Folklife).
Choosing a place and a time: start small, start with love
You do not need a large table or multiple tiers to build a meaningful altar. Many families begin with a shelf, a small tabletop, or a cleared corner of a room. Choose a place that feels calm and safe—especially if you will use candles or incense. If children or pets live in the home, prioritize stability. A low, wide surface is often safer than a tall arrangement.
Timing varies by family and region, but many people set up an ofrenda in late October and keep it through November 2. If that timeframe doesn’t work for you, it’s okay to adapt. An ofrenda can also be created for a memorial gathering, an anniversary, or a private day when you need to feel close again.
The heart of the altar: elements and what they mean
Photographs and names: “This is who we are remembering”
A photo anchors the altar. It tells everyone—living and remembered—who this space belongs to. If you don’t have a photo, a name card, a handwritten letter, or a meaningful object can stand in. Many families include multiple people on one ofrenda, especially when grief holds more than one story at a time.
If your loved one was cremated and you are keeping ashes at home, some families place an urn near the photo or beside the altar rather than “on” it—especially if the urn is tall or heavy. The point is not to display remains; the point is to create a dignified place of remembrance that feels safe in your home. If you’re comparing options, Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection can help you see different styles, while small cremation urns for ashes and keepsake urns can be a gentler fit when a family wants something compact, shareable, or less visually prominent.
Candles: light, presence, and guidance
Candles bring warmth and a sense of vigil. They symbolize light and remembrance, and many families describe them as guiding the way home. Smithsonian Folklife includes candles among the essential elements that create a sensory welcome of light and scent (Smithsonian Folklife). If open flame isn’t safe in your home, an LED candle is a respectful substitute—especially when safety matters more than symbolism.
Marigolds (cempasúchil): color, scent, and a path home
Marigolds are one of the most recognizable elements of Día de los Muertos. Their bright color and strong fragrance are often described as helping guide loved ones back to the altar. Some families create a path of petals leading to the ofrenda. If fresh marigolds aren’t available, you can use marigold-colored flowers, paper marigolds, or a small garland—what matters is the intention and the sensory welcome.
Copal or incense: scent, prayer, and cleansing
Copal is a tree resin traditionally used as incense, and it’s common on ofrendas. The smoke and scent are associated with purification and a ceremonial welcome. Smithsonian Folklife specifically lists copal as one of the essential altar elements (Smithsonian Folklife). If copal is hard to find, incense can be used thoughtfully, but sourcing copal from Mexican artisans or reputable sellers can help keep the connection closer to tradition.
Water: care for the journey
A simple glass of water is often placed on the altar. It can symbolize offering refreshment after a long journey and is also a gesture of care: “You are welcome here.” This is one of the most practical elements to include, even in a very small ofrenda, and it is commonly listed among traditional altar components (Smithsonian Folklife).
Salt: protection and balance
Salt is frequently placed on an ofrenda, sometimes in a small dish. Many families connect salt with purification, protection, and the balance of the altar’s elements. If you are building an ofrenda with children, salt can be a gentle way to talk about symbolism: small everyday things can carry big meaning when we use them intentionally.
Food and drink: “We remembered what you loved”
Food on the altar is both offering and storytelling. Families often include pan de muerto, favorite home-cooked dishes, sweets, or a loved one’s preferred snack or drink. This is not about “feeding” in a literal sense; it’s about remembering tastes and rituals that defined a person’s life. If your loved one had a signature recipe, placing that dish on the altar can feel like hearing their voice again.
If you are worried about food safety—especially in warm climates—consider offering wrapped treats, fruit that can be replaced daily, or symbolic servings that can be refreshed. The act of replacing offerings can itself become a ritual: a moment of daily care.
Papel picado: breath, fragility, and celebration
Papel picado is the delicate cut paper often draped above or around the altar. Many families interpret it as representing air and the fragility of life—how beautiful and brief it can be. Even one string of papel picado can transform a simple setup into an ofrenda that feels alive, moving softly with the room.
Personal items: the small details that make someone “them”
Personal belongings are often what make an altar feel most intimate: a piece of jewelry, a favorite book, a sewing notion, a baseball cap, a handwritten note. These objects don’t need to be “valuable.” They need to be true. If you are honoring a child, a toy or drawing can carry profound meaning. If you are honoring a grandparent, a recipe card or rosary can speak volumes.
Building an ofrenda when cremation is part of the story
Many families today honor loved ones with an ofrenda while also navigating cremation decisions. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025. The Cremation Association of North America also publishes industry statistics and research on cremation trends and projections.
If cremation is part of your family’s plan, an ofrenda can be one piece of a larger memorial puzzle. Some families place a full urn near the altar. Others prefer a smaller, less prominent vessel. If your home space is limited or multiple relatives want a tangible connection, small cremation urns and keepsake urns can support that “shared remembrance” approach in a way that feels steady rather than overwhelming.
If you want support before choosing anything, Funeral.com’s Journal offers a practical walkthrough of how to choose a cremation urn, including materials, placement, and details that matter when you want to keep a memorial at home.
Honoring pets on an ofrenda: a gentle, modern extension of love
Many families include pets on their ofrenda, especially when a dog or cat was woven into daily life like family. A pet photo, collar, favorite toy, or a small offering can be deeply comforting. If your companion was cremated, pet urns and pet urns for ashes can fit naturally beside a photo, especially when the style is simple and home-friendly. Funeral.com offers several options families often explore, including pet cremation urns, pet figurine cremation urns, and pet keepsake cremation urns when sharing or small-space memorials are part of the plan.
If you want a steadier explanation of sizes and choices, Funeral.com’s guide Pet Urns for Ashes: A Complete Guide for Dog and Cat Owners can help you choose without second-guessing.
Cremation jewelry and remembrance you can carry
Sometimes grief doesn’t stay in one room. If you are traveling between households, if siblings live in different places, or if you simply want closeness in daily life, cremation jewelry can be a meaningful option. A cremation necklace can hold a tiny amount of ashes in a sealed chamber, allowing remembrance to be private and portable. It can also sit alongside an ofrenda as part of a layered memorial: the altar holds the shared memory, and the jewelry holds a personal thread of connection.
If you are exploring wearable memorials, Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry collection and cremation necklaces collection can help you compare styles. For practical guidance—materials, sealing, and everyday wear—see Cremation Necklaces for Ashes: Types, Materials, Filling Tips & What to Buy.
Keeping ashes at home alongside an ofrenda
For many families, an ofrenda becomes part of a longer home memorial—something that returns each year, or something that remains in a quieter form after the holiday passes. If you are keeping ashes at home, think in terms of safety and peace of mind: stable placement, a secure closure, and a plan for visitors, pets, and children. Funeral.com’s Journal explains keeping ashes at home with considerations families often worry about but don’t always say out loud.
Water burial, scattering, and other choices for ashes
Not every family plans to keep ashes permanently at home. Some prefer scattering, cemetery placement, or water burial (often meaning a biodegradable urn that dissolves at sea, or a planned scattering ceremony). If you are thinking about a water-based farewell, it can help to separate the emotional vision from the logistics—what is permitted, what feels safe, and what kind of container supports the moment you want. Funeral.com’s guide to biodegradable ocean and water burial urns offers a steady explanation of how these options work and what families commonly consider.
Funeral planning: letting tradition and logistics work together
It can feel strange to talk about funeral planning in the same breath as marigolds and candles—but for many families, planning is an act of love. If Día de los Muertos is part of your family’s tradition, you can include it in your planning notes: build an ofrenda each year, play a favorite song, cook a beloved dish, include a photo and a meaningful object. Those wishes are real, and writing them down can relieve the next generation from having to guess.
Planning can also reduce financial stress. If you find yourself searching how much does cremation cost, you’re not being “too practical.” You’re trying to make good decisions in a hard moment. Funeral.com’s Journal breaks down how much cremation costs (and why prices vary), which can help you plan a memorial that fits your family without feeling rushed or pressured.
A simple, respectful way to begin (when you feel overwhelmed)
If you want a starting point you can complete in one evening, begin with just a few things: a photo, a candle (or LED light), a glass of water, a small flower offering, and one personal item. Sit with it for a few minutes. Say their name. Tell a story. If grief brings tears, let them come. If grief brings laughter, let it come too. Día de los Muertos holds both: the ache of absence and the warmth of continued love.
Over time, your ofrenda can grow. You might add papel picado. You might add favorite foods. You might add a second photo. You might create space for a pet. You might incorporate an urn in a way that feels dignified—whether that is a full-size memorial, keepsake urns shared among siblings, or a quiet piece of cremation jewelry that keeps someone close beyond the season. If you are navigating the next step after cremation and wondering what to do with ashes, Funeral.com’s guide to what to do with cremation ashes offers practical, compassionate ideas.
Respect is the most important element
There is no single “perfect” ofrenda. There is only the one you build with care. If you are carrying this tradition forward in your family, you are keeping memory alive. If you are learning it with humility and respect, you are choosing relationship over performance. And if you are navigating modern realities—cremation, blended families, distance, time—you are not doing it “wrong.” You are doing what families have always done: adapting love into a form you can hold.
