Early each November Mexican's the width and breadth of the country pack a hamper and head to the cemetery to celebrate el dia de los muertos, the day of the dead. And yep, I said celebrate.

The Dia de Metros in México (or Day of the Dead) is one of the only occasions when the whole country unite in a common celebration and there are festivities everywhere. Each of the country's regions have their own practices and traditions. A rainbow of different kind of celebrations take place inside Mexico during these two days. This celebration has its roots in ancient believes that mixed throughout years of history with catholic traditions.

Mexican believe that their dead relatives and friends actually come to celebrate and feast with them. They have lunch or dinner with their dead relatives at the cemetery. People take baskets with food, candles and incense. They place their relatives favorite food, drink, cigarettes or sweets in small altars they build with flowers, pictures, images, candles and chocolate and sugar skulls that bear their names written in sugar. People eat them at the end of the celebration.

Far from being a sombre affair, day of the dead festivities are round-the-clock celebrations of the lives of those family members that have passed before them. Families gather, food is shared, tequila is downed, cigars are smoked - as far as Mexican celebrations go, it doesn't get much bigger.