November 2nd is the Mexican holiday known as Day of the Dead or Dia de Los Muertos. This is a happy day where families gather to celebrate and honor family members who have passed on. Visits to the local cemetery will find many families at the grave sites, cleaning, planting and communing with their loved ones. Altars are set up in homes with many favorite foods, such as turkey with mole, tamales and pan de muertos, bread shaped in the form of skulls and skeletons. Drinks such as tequila and mescal are also offered to be enjoyed by the spirits when they come to visit. Photographs of the dearly departed are displayed prominently and the altars are scattered with lit candles to help guide their way.Days before the celebration, you will find death represented in stores throughout Mexico by objects commemorating the dead in the form of tiny skulls of spun sugar, ornately decorated coffins and delicate sugar skeletons.

Our photo here highlights the beautiful tradition of altars.

Dia de Los Muertos