It may seem odd to celebrate death—after all, it"s the end of our personal era. But tell that to people who celebrate the Day of the Dead, or el Día de los Muertos, and they"ll smile. They may explain that death is part of the circle of life, and as natural as any other human milestone. As our photo shows, the Day of the Dead is a big holiday in Mexico, where calacas—skeleton figures of musicians, workers, and other folks in merry scenes of everyday "life"—lurk everywhere for weeks before the main event. Of course, living people also play dead for the day, donning skeleton outfits, masks, and grotesque makeup. Music, processions, and food add to the quirky, fun carnival atmosphere.
Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
-
World Laughter Day—it s a hoot
-
The largest living organism on Earth
-
Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum
-
Three Natural Bridges, Wulong Karst, China
-
A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
-
Snow on the temple
-
Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
-
Farmers Day
-
Winter at Valley Forge
-
Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
-
Thousand Islands region, St. Lawrence River, US-Canada border
-
Art and soul
-
Grizzly bears in Alaska for National Wildlife Day
-
Atop the Needle of Chamonix
-
International Archaeology Day
-
Manatee Awareness Month
-
Yellowstone for the National Park Services birthday
-
Pantaleu
-
Tom Turkey takes Manhattan
-
Canada s $20 view
-
Rooftops in the walled city of Urbino, Italy
-
King of the dinosaurs
-
Strolling across the Red Lagoon
-
A Eurasian red squirrel in Switzerland
-
Polar Bear Week
-
Celebrating the first day of spring
-
Happy World Laughter Day
-
It s Australia Day
-
Spring awakens
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

