Day of the Dead Día de Muertos is a
holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many
cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to
pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is
particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality of a
National Holiday, and all banks are closed. The celebration takes place
on November 1–2, in connection with the
Catholic holidays of
All Saints' Day (November 1) and
All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using
sugar skulls,
marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.
