Book of Life Premiere Countdown: Day T-minus 7: Cempazuchil.

Fragrant and colorful, "The Flower of 400 Petals" floods not only the graveyards, but the streets of towns and the main streets of cities alike, with their vibrant display of orange/yellow colors, and their smell that wafts through the air, a sweet and profound one, no weaker than incense.

The flower is seen as a catcher of the sun’s warmth, so families use it to decorate the graves, as a beacon to show the spirits the way back. Demand for the thing goes as high as about 5 thousand tons for the season.

Book of Life Premiere Countdown: Day T-minus 8: The Monarch.

Although not directly related to the Día de Muertos, La Monarca’s yearly arrival to the forests in the states of  Michoacán and Mexico takes place around the same time as the celebration, and as such the legend has come to associate them with being the spirits of the departed, coming over to meet their families.

The migration itself is awe inspiring, since the bugs not only are beautiful but also tenacious lil’ shits that can live up to 9 months, flying barefoot, in the snow, uphill, both ways. Ok not really, they do the whole travel to avoid the snow BUT STILL.

As a lil’ kid you can’t imagine how breathtaking it is to see a cloud of pure orange scales crossing the sky and havin your parents tell you your abuelito’s up there in that rave ;w;

Certainly more impressive than some fat guy and some deer you never even get to see cuz you fall asleep too soon, huh? B/

As part of the final countdown to The Book of Life, I'mma do a thing where I teach all y'all about muertos so you don’t dive in on the movie without knowing anything >:v

SO LET’S START WITH THE BEST MOTHERFRAGGIN YEARLY BREAD THERE IS!!

Pan de muerto (Bread of the Dead) is a type of sweet roll traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the Día de los Muertos.

It is a sweetened soft bread shaped like a bun, often decorated with bone-shaped phalanges pieces. Pan de muertos is eaten on Día de los Muertos, at the gravesite or altar of the deceased. In some regions it is eaten for months before the official celebration of Dia de los Muertos. As part of the celebration, loved ones eat pan de muerto as well as the relative’s favorite foods.

The bones represent the disappeared one and there is normally a baked tear drop on the bread to represent goddess Chimalma’s tears for the living. The bones are represented in a circle to portray the circle of life.

The classic recipe for Pan de los muertos is a simple sweet bread recipe, often with the addition of anise seeds, and other times flavored with orange flower water. Other variations are made depending on the region or the baker. And for all a you pumkin spice enthusiasts, yes you can find recipes that have some in it -.-