These are NOT pictures taken during the Halloween. Rather, I photographed these on the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), which is a Mexican holiday. Unlike the Chinese culture that regards death as a taboo, Mexicans celebrate the event by focusing on remembering the positive sides of their deceased family members and friends. The origin of the Day of the Dead can be traced back to the Aztec tribe. Later this tradition was merged with the Catholic All-Saints Day.
Los Angeles has a large Mexican population and thus the Day of the Dead has been a Californian festival for many years. During the event many families gather at the cemetery and present colorful decorations to pay tribute to the dead. Some of the decorations were even humorous. If there is a realm beyond our horizon, perhaps celebrating and laughing about death is the right attitude.   

by Alex Yu 2012