In 2004 my grandfather passed away after a long battle with cancer. Every year on All Souls Day (November 2), my mom and I go and visit a little shrine in downtown Tucson, called El Tiradito to light candles for loved ones who have passed away.

I am a frequent visitor to the shrine, especially on his birthday.

To honor our loved ones at El Tiradito, we purchased 8, 15 oz. white generic prayer candles or 7 day candles (which burn for 7 days, hence the name), which we bought at Wal-Mart for $1

In an earlier blog, a classmate of mine, Emma Keilbey, explained the history of El Tiradito.

While at El Tiradito, I noticed that there were little notes (possibly prayers) that have been placed in the cracks of the altar. There have been names craved into the altar and photos have been placed on the altar.


















Here are some fun facts about All Souls Day:

• Marigolds are the official flower for All Souls Day
• Versions of All Souls Day are celebrated all across the world (Brazil, Spain and the Philippines)
• On November 1 and 2 families of the deceased will go to the cemetery and clean and decorate the graves with either toys, tequila, food and possibly
• The Arizona Daily Star has produced an interactive site that shares information about the holiday, local traditions, the altar, and why personal items are shared on the altar. The
• The Arizona Daily Star also has a video that the Ramirez family and why they celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Very informative and interesting
  

A very interesting and informative article about Dia de los Muertos written by Carmen Duarte. This article goes along with the video.