Latin America's Day of the Dead Celebration
Friday, October 31, 2014
Families gather around the graves of their loved ones at the Virgen de Lourdes cemetery in Lima, Peru (Rodrigo Abd/AP)
Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated in streets, homes, communities, universities, and parades often with large festivals including activities for children and adults. The "Day of the Dead" occurs on November 1 and 2 of each year, thus coinciding with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
(REUTERS/Mariana Bazo)
Dia de los Muertos or “The Day of the Dead” originated centuries ago in Mexico where it is still widely celebrated today. The blend of pre-Hispanic indigenous beliefs and Spanish Catholic beliefs are performed in honor of the dead. It is a festive, joyous time of celebration with loving rituals that are full of joy and remembrance.
(REUTERS/David Mercado)
People around the world are drawn to the ideas and visuals of Mexico's Day of the Dead and the holiday continually gains in popularity as more people learn about it. During this time, South Americans also embrace their textiles by leaving them out so the dead can use them as blankets to rest after a long journey. It is common belief that the deceased return to their earthly homes to visit and rejoice with their loved ones during this time of the year.They're also used as picnic blankets for another common tradition of having a picnic at their loved ones' grave site.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated as a way of cherishing connections with the unseen world. People around the world are drawn to the ideas and visuals of Mexico's Day of the Dead and the holiday continually gains in popularity as more people learn about it. 
In celebration, we just recieved some awesome Guatemalan Mayan 'Day of the Dead' iconic sculptures at Diseno! They are hand-carved and painted, making each one unique, and cherishing the Latin holidays for a lifetime.
Cheers,
Frank Campanale
