Every year at the end of October and the beginning of November, the Mexican culture takes the time to celebrate their past loved ones.
Dia de los Muerto, which means Day of the Dead in English, is widely known for the eccentric flowers, candles, and food on a shelf. This holiday is officially celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. Though in many different areas of Mexico, it can start as early as October 28 and last into November. The first night, November first, celebrates the departed children, and the second night is used the celebrate the adults.
Though this holiday is celebrated so closely to Halloween, some might believe that the two holidays are the same. Junior Mileena Poe clarifies that one holiday is for fun while the other is merely a tradition.
“Halloween is primarily a secular holiday focused on costumes and candy,” Poe said. “The Day of the Dead is a spiritual holiday honoring deceased loved ones.”
This tradition is celebrated differs for each family. Some may celebrate in a cemetery, while others celebrate in their home. In many places around the world, those who know about the Day of the Dead, such as junior Cloe Bisbee, state that the holiday is celebrated with festive activities.
“It’s a holiday where you celebrate the dead with costumes, food loved by the dead, decor, and costumes, commonly skeletons,” Bisbee said.
Some of the things stay the same even though people celebrate differently, such as making an altar for your loved ones. In Mexico, the altars are called ofrendas, which means offerings in English. People may put a variety of things in an ofrenda, food, drinks, objects, and pictures.
According to junior Jackson Serrano, all of what one puts on an altar are commonly the departed’s favorite things.
“Flower peddles, and personal belongings that were important to the person or related to their life or interests,” Serrano said. 
