The gala celebration of one of Mexico's rich traditional holidays, Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, will be held Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at the Putnam Museum in Davenport.

Since Oct. 22, the museum has had an exhibit of altars that are set up during the Day of the Dead to honor and commemorate the lives of those who have died.

Margie Mejia-Caraballo, a volunteer at Casa Guanajuato in Moline, said that the Day of the Dead coincides with All Souls Day, or Nov. 2

"In our culture it's a day of remembrance," Mejia-Caraballo said. "It's a big celebration, really.

"In Latin American countries, on the actual Day of the Dead, there are ceremonies at cemeteries, picnics and parties."

The focus is on the positive things in the life their loved ones led and what they accomplished, she said.

"The day itself is happy," Mejia-Caraballo said, adding that children are involved at a very young age. "We want children to be able to accept death and deal with death and that life goes on."

Hispanics, she said, dwell on the positive aspets of the lives that their loved ones led and the other lives they touched.

As an example, she said, a Hispanic person can wake up in the morning knowing the kids are well and they've been recently promoted at work, and will think, "This is a good day to die."

That goes against American culture, she said, because people in America don't want to die when things are going well, but when things are down.

"But that's our mentality," Mejia-Caraballo, said. "We think, 'I contributed to life.' It's a good way to go. Here in America, everybody thinks there's always something more to do."

At the Putnam, families have set up altars for their loved ones. Casa Guanajuato has erected an altar.

Gilda's Club also has erected an altar and is asking the public to bring photos of their loved ones to put on it.