The celebration occurs on
November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Catholic
holiday of All Saints' Day which occurs on November
1st and All Souls' Day which occurs on November
2nd. Traditions 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.
Scholars trace the origins
of the modern holiday to indigenous observances
dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec
festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl.
Similar holidays are celebrated
in many parts of the world; for example, it's a
public holiday (Dia de Finados) in Brazil, where
many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries
and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and
parades, and at the end of the day, people gather
at cemeteries and pray for their loved ones who
have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in
Europe and in the Philippines, and similarly-themed
celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.
