Día de los Muertos

Me with the tiny calacas Momma got for me.

How much do you know about Día de los Muertos? Just as Halloween is the second most popular holiday (next to Christmas) for a majority of folks in the United States, the Day of the Dead is the favorite holiday for most of those in Hispanic cultures.

Nov. 2 is the official date for Day of the Dead, although it is celebrated between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. These dates correspond with the Roman Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. This results from the Roman Catholic Church's efforts to "find similarities between the indigenous and Christian beliefs."

The celebration has a complex history that has been transformed through the years. I particularly like the festively dressed skeletons called calacas.

Why? To me death is the great equalizer. Skin color matters no more. We're all the same in death.