These are some foods that are traditionally eaten during the Day of the Dead season in Mexico, or placed on altars as offerings for the spirits. The spirits are thought to consume the essence of the foods; after the holiday has passed, the living dismantle the altar and may consume whatever is left. The holiday is a mixture of Catholic and native Mesoamerican beliefs and customs, and the foods that are consumed at this time also developed out of a combination of those different traditions.