Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated across Latin America, but is considered more of a Mexican celebration.

This holiday is celebrated Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. Día de los Muertos celebrates life and death, welcoming back the spirits of lost loved ones to reunite with their family members that have missed them.

Traditionally, families will put out pictures of their deceased family members on an ofrenda to remember and honor their lost loved ones. The ofrenda is an important part of this tradition and contains many elements that are key to the celebration: the cempasúchil flowers, water, various foods such as pan de muerto and sugar skulls, candles, and papel picado. All of these have an important role in assisting the dead back home.

The holiday dates back 3,000 years ago in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Aztecs believed that when someone died, they would go to Chicunamictlán, the land of the dead. The dead would face nine challenges to reach Mictlán, a final resting place for the spirits. The Aztecs would celebrate all those who had made it with food, water, and other items to help the dead during their journey.

Día de los Muertos has even made its way into pop culture with films such as Disney’s “Coco” and 20th Century Fox Animation’s “Book of Life.” Both movies incorporate many aspects of Día de los Muertos into the films.

Día de los Muertos continues to be widely celebrated, even after its three thousand year old history, and to this day, it still has an important role in Hispanic culture. So, whether you celebrate Día de los Muertos or not, celebrate the lives of those who are no longer with us.