Day Of The Dead Celebrations: Visiting The Cemetery And Honoring The Dead Editorial Photo

People living in Guatemala city, Guatemala are seen decorating the tombs of relatives in the General Cemetery, during the Day of the Dead celebrations on November 1st. One of the most popular traditions among locals on the Day of the Dead is to visit the gravesites of their loved ones. While some stick to putting flowers on the mausoleums and saying a prayer for the souls of the deceased, some families pack up all their food, put on their best clothing, and head over to the cemetery to spend the whole day and night visiting with those who have left, even hiring musicians like mariachis, to serenade the tombs of their loved ones. Tradition says that a plate must also be served to the ones being visited and are thus placed on the ofrenda offering while the rest of the family eats and celebrates. As the night comes, the cemeteries turn into big parties where the living relatives celebrate with the dead. Music and dancing accompany all-night feasting and communing with family both living and dead. When it is finally time to go to bed, locals must be careful with how they leave their homes at night. It is believed that spirits often come in the form of moths, which might get trapped in an open glass of water or burn in a still-lit candle, so families must make sure to extinguish any open flames and empty any water reservoirs hanging around the house. If a moth dies on The Day of the Dead, the spirit that came back in it would be trapped and unable to come back next year.