Mexico City: Dia de Los Muertos

Death is part and parcel of life. And yet most of us fear this inevitable end to all living things. Not to the Mexicans, however. Dia de Los Muertos, which means the Day of the Dead, is a three-day celebration about death. As macabre as the holiday sounds, Dia de Los Muertos is festive and full of meaning for the people of Mexico. From 31 October to 2 November, families will visit the graves of the dearly departed and decorate the graves with candles, marigolds and chrysanthemums. Friends and family also exchange colourfully decorated sugar skulls to ward off the fear of death. The main events take place in the city; people dress up in costumes and paint their faces to look like skulls as they walk in a parade. To the Mexicans, Death is no longer foe but a friend.