A vibrant ofrenda was built by Blossom House building technician Yahir Santiago for Día de los Muertos, the multi-day Mexican holiday where deceased ancestors are remembered, celebrated, and reunited with in spirit. Lovingly and skillfully handmade, the Blossom House ofrenda is already full of photos and offerings from the community.
The idea for a Lifespan Local community ofrenda started with director Dr. Lydia Prado, who remembers building the altars with her grandmother. Yahir wanted to honor the spirit of her memory while making something larger—and dual-purpose. With hydroponic farm manager Nick Villari, Yahir conceived of a four-tier structure that could serve first as an ofrenda, and then live on to display farm plants for an upcoming event.
Building it took some problem-solving. Yahir chose simple two-by-four studs because they were affordable and could be cut to any size. Mid-build, he switched from nails to screws so the ofrenda can be taken apart and stored. “I can just remove four screws on each tier and separate each tier from the other,” he explains. The finished piece measures eight feet by four feet. “It’s big and custom, not something they sell,” he says.
Yahir had made ofrendas before using benches, tables, and cloths, but this was his first time building one from wood. For him, no matter what the materials are, the tradition is about warmth. “We always put candles on it,” he says of a central part of the tradition. “It’s the season of warmth for us.”
Community members quickly set out to fill the Blossom House ofrenda with mementos and offerings honoring their loved ones. Librarian Robin Filipczak from the Lena Archuleta Branch Library has contributed, as have a few nonprofit tenants. Anyone in the building is welcome to place something on it.
“It’s the season of warmth for us.”
Once the holiday and farm event are over, the ofrenda will come down and be stored. Yahir says it could be turned into a bench, utilized for storage, or kept outside as decoration. Just like the meaning behind the holiday for which it was made, the ofrenda’s flexible structure will allow it to live on in new form.
