Many believe that May 5th is the anniversary of Mexican independence. But they are not right, because Independence Day is September 16. Do You Know What Cinco De Mayo Is? Ideas To Celebrate It.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates an unexpected victory.
This date commemorates the Mexican triumph over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
Then, the Mexican Army won the confrontation in spite of being smaller and ill-equipped. It is, therefore, a day to commemorate the courage of the fighters against oppression.
May 5th is a holiday celebrated mostly in the United States. In general, in Mexico the day is remembered only with political speeches and recreations of the battle. Many of them take place in the state of Puebla itself.
But because of its symbolism, it has become an expression of pride and unity for Mexican-Americans and Mexican migrants in the United States.
And the combination of meaning, demographic impact and market conveniences now makes Cinco de Mayo an increasingly American, and even international, holiday.
It Symbolize Patriotism
According to Hayes Bautista’s thesis, Cinco de Mayo is a feast created by Latinos in California in the mid-19th century, with a meaning that has changed over time from a date that symbolized nostalgia in the 1930s to an expression of patriotism in the 1940s and the birth of Chicano power in the 1960s, to evolve into a commercial feast.
Today,” says a commentary on his book Cinco de Mayo, An American Tradition, “it remains a reflection of an involved, empowered and growing community.
The world’s largest May 5th celebration takes place in Los Angeles. The Broadway Fiesta Festival brings together some 300,000 people.
Cities such as New York, Denver and Houston are also hosting big parties to mark this date.
Curiously, Americans consume up to 81 million avocados on May 5, according to the California Avocado Commission. This fruit is used to make guacamole, a popular Mexican dish.
About 33.6 million people in the United States have Mexican heritage, according to the U.S. Census.
To celebrate this perfect gathering to bring friends and family together, we recommend some things you can do and have at your celebration party of Mexican culture.
1. Learn the History of this Date
Many believe that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated for Mexico’s independence, however, this is not the case (its date is September 16).
Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over the French in 1862. With a much smaller army, and with France’s reputation as the world’s greatest military power at the time, Mexico was undoubtedly a less favored country. But they prevailed, defeating the French.
This celebration can be a great opportunity to learn more about the history of the Central American country; to delve into its culture and traditions and to honor them.
2. Dress for the Occasion
You can add to your dress the colors of the Mexican flag: white, red and/or green.
You can also opt for a typical costume; make sure it follows the usual characteristics of these costumes.
3. Decorate your Party in a special way
The bright colors are perfect to celebrate this date. Decorate the atmosphere with cut-out tissue papers and Mexican flags.
In this celebration the Piñata, paper maché containers that are filled with sweets and toys, cannot be missing.
To obtain the sweets inside, the participants of the game must be blindfolded, turning around and hitting the piñata with a stick to release the sweets inside. This tradition is a great family fun activity.
If you want to make it more special, you can add surprise gifts inside and cheer up your guests.
4. Set the place for Celebration with Mexican Music
Hiring a mariachi for the celebration is a great idea to commemorate part of Mexican music. If you prefer not to, you can add typical Mexican music (rancheras, mariachi, bands, etc.) to your playlist, and add some maracas or a guitar to the celebration, if there are musicians at the party.
5. Serve Mexican Food
One of Mexico’s best known customs worldwide is its rich and varied food. Tacos, burritos, guacamole and margaritas are some of the most common.
You can also prepare a delicious and typical flan, grilled corn, enchiladas and fajitas.
6. Make Crafts with your Children
Share this celebration with the youngest of the house making crafts to entertain them and teach them about the history of this date.
One idea might be to make perfect maracas to accompany the music: With clean plastic containers with lids, invite your children to fill them with grains, rice, pasta (raw) or seeds, so that they can generate sound when they move them.
Put them inside the container, secure with the lid and glue or throw if necessary, and decorate the container with paint.
They will be ready to be enjoyed to the sound of Latin music.
7. Celebrate the date at events held in Los Angeles or New York
Whether it’s the number of Mexican citizens or the many people of Latin American origin living in these cities, you can find different activities for the Cinco de Mayo celebration at these sites.
If you have the opportunity to travel and be in Los Angeles or New York for Cinco de Mayo, you will have the chance to participate in the scheduled events.
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