The colors used on the altars have specific meanings.

• Purple: signifies pain, suffering, grief, and mourning.
• Pink: celebration
• White: purity and hope
  
• Orange: sun
  
• Red: the blood of life
• Yellow: cempazuchitl are marigolds that symbolize death. Petals are used to make a trail so that the spirits can see the path to their altars.

Skulls symbolize death and rebirth.

Pan de muerto represents the souls of the dead.

Incense represents the changing of the physical to the spiritual.

Salt and water represent ongoing life.