Dia de los Muertos can mean different things to those who observe it. Many who practice it see the day less as mourning and more as a time to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have died. In the Rio Grande Valley and much of the United States, the holiday has grown in popularity, and ofrendas are becoming more common in the days before Nov. 1.
Francisco Guajardo, chief executive officer of the Museum of South Texas History, said the 2015 opening sequence of the James Bond film "Spectre" helped drive the growing interest. He said the film showed a large party, parade and ceremony that resembled the holiday.
The tradition of honoring the dead dates back to pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures. After Spanish colonization and the spread of Catholicism in the Americas, the celebration blended ancient traditions with Catholic imagery. Traditionally, observances begin on Oct. 27, when deceased pets are honored, and continue with days set aside for those who died suddenly, forgotten dead and children who were not baptized.