Every year in Mexico and beyond, descendants of departed loved ones transform somber memorials into lively altars or ofrendas, replete with colorful marigolds, dazzling candles, and all of the deceased’s favorite earthly indulgences as a way to bring joy to the act of remembrance and successfully propel the dead into the afterlife. In the United States, the holiday is usually known as Día de los Muertos, but in its home of Mexico, it’s Día de Muertos. The “los” comes from a Spanish re-translation of its English meaning, Day of the Dead.
