Google welcomes Mexico's Day of the Dead with a new Doodle

Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Google is celebrating Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday with a new Doodle.

Google's homepage features colorful artwork that displays the animals used to represent those who have passed including a skeleton dog front and center and a monarch butterfly.

"For centuries, the indigenous peoples of Mexico have honored death, viewing it as a part of the cycle of nature, rather than fearing it," Google wrote about Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos.

"Dogs are considered spirit guides, bringing souls to their final resting place, while migrating monarch butterflies are thought to be ancestral spirits come to visit their loved ones," the company continues.

The Day of the Dead holiday consists of All Saints Day on Nov. 1, which is devoted to little children, followed by All Souls Day on Nov. 2, which is dedicated to adults.

"Candlelit altars of ofrendas (offerings) are laid out in cemeteries to honor loved ones," Google said. "Sugar skulls, copal incense, vivid marigold flowers, photographs, and sweet pan de muerto are placed to help the dead find their way into the world of the living. This holiday serves as a tremendous source of comfort and community to its observers."

To welcome the Day of the Dead last year, Google shared purple artwork that paid homage to the tissue-paper cutouts that have been used to celebrate the holiday since the 18th century. The paper banners represent that life is fragile and fleeting while still containing beauty and delight.