The holiday combines pre-Hispanic traditions of the indigenous peoples of Mexico with the European traditions of All Souls' Day, brought to the Americas by Catholic priests when the Spanish arrived in 1492. Traditionally, El D a de los Muertos is a time when families and communities recall their dead loved ones through stories and share their presence in spirit. The holiday also serves as a reminder that death is inescapable, a part of the cycle of life. We take time to remember our loved ones who have died and wait expectantly for the day when we will all again be reunited. Practices on this holiday in Mexico include cleaning and decorating graves, holding observances in cemeteries, and setting up family altars in homes, churches and public places in memory of loved ones.
Some traditional practices serve to take away some of the fear of death by poking fun at it.
People play with toy skeletons and eat candy skulls with their own names on them. They write satirical poems, called calaveras, which are humorous obituaries for prominent people who are still alive. While their styles and content of family altars vary, most display a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas. Most also contain water and items of food, provided as nourishment for the returning spirits of the dead. Items commemorating loved ones, such as their favorite foods, are placed throughout the altars.