Día de muertos

In Mexico, death doesn't frighten anyone, and the Day of the Dead is a grand, always joyful and vibrant celebration held on the first two days of November. For this holiday, each family prepares a small altar to honor their ancestors. They decorate it with candles, necklaces of bright orange marigolds, and garlands of finely cut paper in every color, known as papel picado. The Day of the Dead is also an occasion to share their favorite foods with them. It's a true feast placed on the altar: corn, squash, fruit, sweet bread fragrant with orange blossom, and sugar skulls. The plazas and streets of the country are filled at all hours of the day and night with a joyful and festive crowd. Mariachi music resonates everywhere. People paint their faces to resemble skulls, dress up as fantastical skeletons, or become elegant Catrinas under enormous hats. People sing and dance to celebrate the souls of deceased loved ones and to find them during the celebration.