PHOTOS: San Antonio honors loved ones with Dia de Los Muertos community altars

SAN ANTONIO - Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a celebration of the people in our lives that we have loved and lost. One of the most important elements of the festivities is the construction of altars, or ofrendas, that we use to honor and reconnect with the dead.

CLICK HERE to view our ofrenda image gallery...

While each is unique and personal, ofrendas often consist of pictures of the dead, marigold flowers, candles, and items loved by the dead. The tradition's origins date back to rituals practiced by the indigenous people of the Americas. San Antonio continues this tradition hundreds of years later by celebrating Dia de Los Muertos and setting up ofrendas all around town, honoring those in the city that we've lost.

The San Antonio Public Library Foundation created an ofrenda that can be viewed at the Central Library in downtown San Antonio. The altar is filled with images and items of those who attended the Catrina Ball.

Denise Leidtka, Director of Marketing & Communications for the SA Public Library Foundation, spoke about her nephew who she honors on the ofrenda.

When he was a little boy, he would visit us when I lived in Dallas and love to play dress up as a pirate or you know, swashbuckler, right. Just the goodness of Michael so you know, he was a beloved person by everybody that knew.

Leidtka says that her photo depicts a memory of going to the beach, with her nephew, Michael, standing in front of the ocean.

If you can't travel downtown to see the ofrendas, you may find one in your area. The Schaefer Library set up it's own, public, ofrenda celebrating those lost in their area. Branch Manager, Maria Adams, set up the altar as a way to connect with their community. She talked about how the ofrenda has allowed the staff to celebrate the community they serve.

When I came here as the Assistant Branch Manager, I wanted a way to bring that part of work-life together. The community out here has been so great in supporting our branch library, so we just wanted a way to say, 'You know what? Let's celebrate everyone that we can while we're here.'

Community offrendas, like the one at the Schaefer, are set up throughout the city and are a great way to share your love and respect for your family with a larger community. The Briscoe Western Art Museum will also have a public ofrenda and Day of the Dead activities that they invite the entire city to take part in. The Briscoe's Adult Programs, Volunteer, and Docent Coordinator, Eddie Gutierrez, said the museum is allowing people to bring in pictures of the deceased, even if they aren't your family. "Its just about expressing yourself and joining in the love," he said.

Gutierrez will be honoring his late father on the ofrenda this year. He describes a typical, hard working Mexican-American with a soft spot for Whitney Houston.

I have a wonderful memory. For his birthday, we bought him a single Whitney Houston concert ticket. He went out on his own and came back, alive and refreshed. I thought, let me put up Whitney up there as a reference to someone my father loved.

Be sure to share pictures of your ofrendas with us and let us know who you'll be remembering this year for Dia De Los Muertos. CLICK HERE to share your photos...