Day of the Dead: A Joyful Celebration of Life and Food

"Sugar skulls, tamales, and a spirit's favorite spirits — these are things you might find on the altar in cemeteries all over Mexico and nearby places where families go to picnic and celebrate the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, on Nov. 1 and 2."

"The Aztecs developed the rituals some 3,000 years ago because they believed one should not grieve the loss of a beloved ancestor who passed, but rather celebrate their lives and welcome the return of their spirits to the land of the living once a year. That's where the food and drink and music ofrendas, or offerings, come in."

"Hayes Lavis, cultural arts curator for the Smithsonian'sNational Museum of the American Indian, says that mourning was not allowed because it was believed the tears would make the spirit's path treacherous and slippery, "This day is a joyous occasion; It's a time to gather with everyone in your family, those alive and those dead," he says."