In communities with a large hispanic or Mexican population, El Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is celebrated as it has been in Mexico since the time of the Aztecs. During this period, families usually clean and decorate the graves with offerings or ofrendas. The celebration continues over two days. November 1st is to honor children and infants and is referred to as Día de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents) or Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels).
People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Over the past weekend, the cemetery of Mission Park South has been filled with families meeting to clean and decorate graves.
See Wikipedia for more information on celebrations of El Día de los Muertos.
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