Catrina
"Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."
If the pumpkin is the symbol of Halloween, for Dia de Los Muertos is the "Calavera (Skull) Catrina". This wonderful and iconic women skull!
Dia de los Muertos is often confused with Halloween due to the proximity of the dates. In reality they are really different: if Halloween began as a Celtic Festival where people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts, Dia de los Muertos is not a dark and sad event, but death is celebrated as a WELCOM PART OF LIFE. That's why we can see brightly colored skeletons and skulls everywhere during this day.
"Ofrendas" (offers), bright yellow marigolds, photos and objects of the people honored:
"Day of the Dead is a holiday to remember loved ones by sharing a meal with them as one would when they were alive."
2 November - Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Source, history and all the details on this amazing website: