Have
you
ever
thought
about
what
it
would
be
like
to
have
a
deceased
loved
one
return
and
you
to
a
holiday
celebration
?
The
idea
may
scare
you
to
death
or
at
least
your
hair
stand
on
end
,
but
this
is
the
essential
concept
behind
the
Day
of
the
Dead
in
Mexico
,
where
people
celebrate
death
with
joy
and
humor
than
mourn
it
with
sorrow
.
this
joyous
occasion
,
family
members
gather
for
a
reunion
in
honor
of
those
who
have
moved
on
to
the
afterlife
.
The
Day
of
the
Dead
is
thought
to
have
centuries
ago
with
the
Aztecs
.
Nowadays
it
is
celebrated
passionately
throughout
Mexico
on
November
1
and
2
.
Traditionally
,
deceased
children
are
honored
on
Nov
.
1
,
Nov
.
2
is
the
day
when
departed
adults
are
the
main
focus
.
During
these
48
hours
,
the
souls
of
the
dead
are
to
return
to
earth
to
visit
their
living
family
members
.
Instead
of
fearing
the
spirits
of
those
they
have
lost
,
Mexicans
their
arrival
and
prepare
for
it
.
Days
or
even
weeks
in
advance
,
they
purchase
necessary
items
and
foods
in
local
markets
.
These
include
marigolds
,
candles
,
?
the
bread
of
the
dead
,
?
and
decorated
sugar
skulls
with
the
names
of
departed
family
members
on
their
foreheads
.
They
also
tidy
and
restore
the
graves
and
cemeteries
where
their
family
members
are
buried
.
On
the
Day
of
the
Dead
,
families
colorful
altars
in
their
homes
to
welcome
returning
spirits
.
On
the
altars
,
they
place
photographs
of
their
deceased
loved
ones
as
as
beverages
and
dishes
that
those
family
members
had
a
for
while
alive
.
After
this
warm
reception
for
the
souls
at
home
,
it
is
usually
late
in
the
evening
,
and
families
head
to
the
cemetery
,
they
decorate
the
graves
and
light
one
candle
for
each
dead
person
.
Cheerful
and
merry
,
they
feast
and
pray
dawn
with
the
sacred
souls
,
transforming
the
normally
horrifying
graveyard
a
venue
of
joy
and
celebration
for
the
entire
night
.
Throughout
the
festival
,
colorful
,
cartoon
-
like
representations
of
the
dead
can
be
seen
everywhere
.
These
include
skeleton
and
skull
cookies
,
candies
,
flags
,
and
toys
.
Many
people
also
up
in
skeleton
costumes
,
paint
their
faces
to
skulls
,
and
participate
in
performances
and
street
parades
.
While
so
,
Mexicans
aren't
mocking
death
.
Instead
,
they
are
recognizing
it
as
an
part
of
the
natural
cycle
and
rather
embrace
it
than
ignore
it
.
By
inviting
the
dead
to
return
and
sharing
the
pleasures
of
life
with
them
,
Mexicans
are
celebrating
the
cycle
of
life
.
The
Mexican
Day
of
the
Dead
is
an
annual
national
event
that
brings
together
living
hosts
and
non
-
living
guests
of
honor
.
it
will
never
die
away
,
since
it
allows
people
to
accept
a
fact
of
life
that
us
all
.
If
we
cannot
escape
it
,
why
not
celebrate
it
?