Tuesday officially begins the two-day celebration of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.
Sugar skulls, alters and face-painting mark the colorful traditions of the holiday.
"I'm just painting faces, but a lot of these people will keep it on all day," Tania Ceja said during a weekend pre-celebration at the Dallas Latino Cultural Center. "The skulls really represent those who have passed."
Ceja explained the Mexican holiday is a celebration of the lives and legacies of those who have passed away.
"Everyone's got someone in their hearts today and it's really sweet," Ceja said. "I know my mom is really partial to her father, who died when she was young. That’s really the only way that we got to know him and stories of him since we never got to meet him personally.”
The director of the Dallas Latino Cultural Center, Benjamin Espino, explained the traditions are vibrant and vivid.
"Serving food for your past loved one, but also building these colorful alters that embody certain components of your past loved ones who are no longer here," he said.
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They say it’s a chance for the local Latino community to share their culture.
"The food, the culture, all the things as Hispanics that we bring," Ceja said. "That's what makes this country great, is that we are a big melting pot."
