Frances Perea

Dia de los Muertos also known as as The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated November 1 & 2. On these days people clean and spruce up the brightly colored cemeteries and decorate them with beautiful flowers and candles in honor of their departed loved ones. The spirits are feted at their graves with an all night vigil. The men gather, talk and drink. The women sit by the grave and pray. Strolling musicians play the favorite music of the dead, and everyone chats, eats and drinks at the graveside. At home altars are set up with marigolds, candies, fruits, breads, drinks, and other special foods and items such as clothing the loved ones might have preferred. The offerings and prayers encourage the spirits to join the living for a few hours in celebration of their memory and partake of these gifts.

By the evening of November 2nd, the celebration is over and the spirits return to the land of the dead. The following day the leftover offerings are shared with friends and relatives of the still living.