The festivity has become a national symbol in recent decades and it is taught in the nation's school system asserting a native origin. Mexican academics are divided on whether the festivity has genuine indigenous pre-Hispanic roots or whether it is a 20th-century rebranded version of a Spanish tradition developed during the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas to encourage Mexican nationalism through an 'Aztec' identity. Origins, history, and similarities to other festivities

1 Origins, history, and similarities to other festivities.

In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional pan de muerto with family and friends, and to write light-hearted and often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends and acquaintances, a literary form known as calaveras literarias. Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and aztec marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. Although associated with the Western Christian Allhallowtide observances of All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. It largely originated in Mexico, where it is mostly observed, but also in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. The Day of the Dead ( Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. Prayer and remembrance of friends and family members who have diedĬreation of home altars to remember the dead, traditional dishes for the Day of the DeadĪll Saints' Day, All Hallow's Eve, All Souls Day Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Window.FB.Event.subscribe('xfbml.render', function() (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')) National Countdown Day emphasizes how important countdowns are to people. On the holiday, everything can be counted. These moments can be anywhere from meeting your child for the first time to finding the outcome of an unexpected event. The holiday falls on March 21 and is celebrated annually with the desire to allow everyone to count down the important moments in their own daily life.

National Countdown Day was declared a national holiday by the National Day Calendar in 2018. The early use of the countdown once marked the beginning of rowing at the University of Cambridge.

Other events for which countdowns are commonly used include the detonation of an explosive, the beginning of a race, the start of the New Year, or any eagerly awaited event. NASA typically uses a countdown when preparing and waiting for a rocket to launch. In contrast, authors use them to indicate when a book will become available. For example, businesses use countdowns to show the time for a sale is running out.

Countdowns are often used by people not only in everyday life but also during important events.

It lets you know how much time is left before an event occurs, such as your birthday or New Year, and creates a sense of urgency. A countdown is a sequential count down to the time of an event.

Day of the dead countdown