Día de los Muertos Ofrenda

Framed photographs line the mantel among glowing candles, painted sugar skulls and pan de muerto, while papel picado hangs overhead and petals lie scattered across the tile floor.

The music is a single nylon-string guitar, slow and tender, with long pauses between phrases. No vocals and no percussion — just a gentle melody beneath the crackle of the fire, for remembering, reading, writing, or winding down in the first days of November.

The Día de los Muertos Ofrenda is a family room made ready for the people it remembers: their photographs set out, their favourite bread on the mantel, cempasúchil marigolds lighting the way. Put it on in the evenings around November 1 and 2, when you want warmth and quiet company rather than anything spooky.