Your Guide to a KILLER Día de los Muertos Party (+ free DIY download!)

To celebrate 1 WHOLE YEAR of The Neon Tea Party, we simply had to throw a birthday party, and what better theme for an October birthday than Día de los Muertos? (Or as we called it, Día de los Neon!) For those unfamiliar with Día de los Muertos, it’s a three-day-long Mexican holiday around Halloween in which families celebrate the lives of those they’ve lost by visiting their graves and building beautiful ofrendas (altars) filled with photos, flowers, food and beloved possessions of the departed. Cemeteries fill with families, creating an almost party-like atmosphere as people joyfully commemorate their loved ones.

Although The Neon Tea Party is alive and kicking, we are still on a Mexican HIGH and simply could not resist embracing this festive theme. To do so, we incorporated traditional Mexican snacks, decorations and, of course, crafts! Guests were even able to shop The Neon Bazaar’s assortment of Mexican home goods in person. Read on for our party check list + a FREE DIY download, which you can use for your next Día de los Muertos fiesta!

DECORATIONS

• Tin calacas (skeletons) – available here
• Papel picado – available here
• Serapes (Mexican blankets) – available here
• Sugar skull paper goods – available here
• Cacti & pumpkins
• Our own TNTP ofrenda featuring framed photos, pillar candles, flowers, and Mexican souvenirs

All goods available for purchase here on The Neon Bazaar!

FOOD

• Sweet potato empanadas (recipe here)
• Quinoa & black bean salad
• Cactus-shaped tlayudas (quesadillas with refried black beans + mozzarella cheese)
• Pumpkin cupcakes with chocolate frosting (pumpkin bread mix from Trader Joe’s)
• Chips and dips: guacamole, spicy hummus, blue corn tortilla chips, carrots, jicama
• Palomas (tequila + grapefruit soda + lime)
• Your favorite Mexican beer

CRAFTS

• DIY Sugar Skull Face Paint – Put out black, white & colored face paints and frame a printout of design ideas. Hang a mirror above the station and leave out flower crowns and flower hair clips to help guests complete their look!

• DIY Paper Flower Hair Pins – Paper flowers are a traditional Mexican craft, and what better way to get in the festive spirit than by placing one in your hair. Cut tissue paper into 7″ squares in a rainbow of colors and put them out with a stapler, scissors, straight pins and bobby pins – plus a framed printout of instructions showing them how to do-it-themselves. Download your FREE Paper Flower Hair Pin DIY printout here!

Our guests had so much fun snacking, crafting, and shopping their way through our Mexican wonderland!

Have you ever thought about throwing a Día de los Muertos party? Share you favorite ideas in the comments below, and don’t forget to download your FREE Paper Flower Hair Pin DIY printout here!

Peace, love & neon,
Marisa