altars during the day of the dead. Around 1930, the art form spread from Huixcolota to other parts of Mexico such as Puebla and Tlaxcala. Sometime in the 1960s, papel picado spread to Mexico City and thence to the United States and Europe. Production Traditionally, papel picados are crafted entirely by hand. When crafting a papel picado, the first step is to draw out the selected design onto the paper and then cover the paper with transparent plastic; this will protect the original drawing. To produce multiple copies at once, one stacks 40 to 50 sheets of China paper and staples them together. Using a small mallet and chisels with variously shaped tips, the artist then cuts out pieces of the paper from the stack. This technique allows the carving of a design to be multiplied. The stack is then separated, with each sheet of paper being a papel picado. Each layer is identical to all the others in a pile. Afterwards, papel picados (or "banderitas") are typically hung with strings or attached to wooden dowels. Materials The primary materials to make a traditional papel picado are tissue paper (papel de seda), a stencil, a small mallet, and chisels. However, papel picados can also be made using rice or silk paper, and have been known to be cut with scissors or a craft knife. Cultural significance The Ministry of Tourism and Culture officially recognizes and supports the art of papel picado. In 1998, the governor of the state of Puebla decreed that the style of papel picado produced in San Salvador Huixcolota is part of the cultural heritage of the state of Puebla (Patrimonio Cultural del Estado de Puebla). Types With countless combinations of patterns and colors, there are many different types of papel picados used in Mexican celebrations. Specific patterns of papel picados are believed to hold significant meaning and worldly influence. Thus, the design that is cut into a papel picado is determined by the particular event of which it is displayed. Day of the Dead One of the most recognizable types of papel picados are those hung during the Mexican holiday Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead, 1 November). Papel Picados used in Dia de Muertos are often cut with patterns of skulls and strung around altars (ofrendas). Ofrendas highlight the four elements of the earth: fire, water, Earth, and air, of which papel picados represent