WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Spooky season has all but come and gone, but one holiday with similar vibes just started.

“These are some things are I put on the altar,” said Marisa Kreitler-Lillis. "We put religious things. We put some ornaments that remind us that we're gonna be dead someday."

It's an annual tradition with some familiar visuals, but this is Día de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead, which takes place on Nov. 2.

“I have my grandparents. I have an aunt. I have the son of this friend, the husband of a friend,” said Kreitler-Lillis.

It's a huge celebration in Mexico.

“All the cemeteries are full of people," said Kreitler-Lillis. "It's like a party."

One that's carried on by people around the world.

“Most people remember our dead ones with sadness, and we have to be happy because we had them with us, even if it was for a short time,” said Kreitler-Lillis.

Kreitler-Lillis has her ofrenda, or altar, almost set up for the two-day holiday.

“The first of November is dedicated to the kids and the second one to the adults,” she said.

It's a time to share stories and keep memories alive.

“I didn't meet my grandmother, for example, but I've heard a lot of good things about her," said Kreitler-Lillis. "The very Day of the Dead, so Nov. 2, we put out our favorite food. She loved tamales, so I put tamales on that day.”

For people who don’t know, it may seem like a simple extension of Halloween, with skeletons and themes around death, but with this décor, everything has meaning.

“The candles are because they light their way to Earth. The marigolds are known by its smell, so the smell attract them," said Kreitler-Lillis. "The monarch butterflies mean that their souls that are around us. The skeletons is meaning that's what we become after we die. The water is if they're thirsty, and the food is if they're hungry.”

It's symbolism Kreitler-Lillis has brought to many here in the U.S.

“I was a Spanish teacher for a little while, and my students were amazed," said Kreitler-Lillis. "I dressed up like a Catrina, which is a skeleton that represents death. We started to say, 'Oh, why did you bring your grandpa? Can you tell us something fun about him.'”

It's a reminder to enjoy the time we have on Earth and the time we had with those we loved.

“I think the most important thing for me is to remember and to be grateful and happy that we had them for a little while or a long while,” added Kreitler-Lillis.