The best way to describe this Mexican holiday is to say that it is a time when Mexican families remember their dead, and the continuity of life. Two important things to know about the Mexican Day of the Dead
(Día de los Muertos) are:

• It is a holiday with a complex history, and therefore its observance varies quite a bit by region and by degree of urbanization.
• It is not a morbid occasion, but rather a festive time.

The original celebration can be traced to many Mesoamerican native traditions, such as the festivities held during the Aztec month of Miccailhuitontli, ritually presided by the "Lady of the Dead" (Mictecacihuatl), and dedicated to children and the dead.