Dia de Los Muertos is mostly observed on Nov 1-2, a combination of All Saints Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls Day on Nov. 2. Don't be surprised if, on the day after Halloween, you see someone taking a picnic basket to a gravesite to have lunch with a deceased loved one. It's customary to bring along wreaths, crosses, macabre toys and other symbols of death, including edible confections in the shape of coffins and skulls. Sounds creepy, but some people find this a fitting way to remember a dearly departed one. Different cultures view death differently.
Some people are more open to death while others treat it as a taboo topic.
It's not unheard of for people to bring along bottles of tequila, mariachi bands, cigarettes, a favorite dish of the deceased and other living pleasures they once enjoyed. In larger cities, Dia De Los Muertos is like a festival, complete with fireworks and concession stands catering to their unique decorating needs. In addition to this, some people decorate altars at their home in honor of their departed loved ones. Being somewhat new to Abilene, I'm not sure if anyone in the Big Country observes Dia De Los Muertos. I've heard of it being observed in both rural and metropolitan areas throughout the Southwest.