In Mexican culture death is viewed as a part of the cycle of life. Día de Muertos is not a day of sadness but instead a day of celebration of the lives of their loved ones that have passed away. It is believed that during the holiday the border between the spirit world and real work dissolves and the souls of the dead are able to return to the living world. That is why families and friends leave out the deceased person's favorite foods and drinks.
Many of the food items placed on the ofrenda are connected to the environment. Many of the meals are corn based such as tamales and tortillas. The flowers used to decorate the altars, cempasuchil, is native to Mexico and grows abundantly.
