Dia de Los Muertos I have not been celebrating this holiday for very long, only the past few ye

Dia de Los Muertos 

I have not been celebrating this holiday for very long, only the past few years, and I am glad that I do now. Dia de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a celebration of those that have passed before us. This holiday is not a sad one, it’s not a day to cry in remembrance, but to celebrate our family and friends and to remember their lives. Traditionally there are altars made to honor loved ones, food and flower offerings of those loved ones are placed on display as well as remembrances. For the spiritual element of this holiday, family and friends will gather round the altar created or in cemeteries, to celebrate, pray and support those that have passed on in their spiritual journeys.The way I celebrate is by visiting the graves of my family that have passed on and decorating their graves with marigold flowers and with traditional sugar skulls and other traditional and fun trinkets. This is not the only time I visit my family, not at all, but it is a time to celebrate them instead of mourning them. I know I don’t necessarily need a specific holiday to do that, but to honor my family during this holiday provides a sense of community and love and happiness as we keep them in our hearts.
For some more info online check out: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead
http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/holidays/day-of-the-dead/2014/09/24/day-of-the-dead-history/16174911/
http://dayofthedead.com/category/celebrations/