Lots of people in the United States have heard of Cinco de Mayo. Some even look forward to celebrating it every year. Many, however, do not understand the history behind this Mexican holiday. If you ask the average American why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated, they will tell you it is Mexican Independence Day. They are wrong. That actually falls on September 16.
During the 1950s, the United States had a program called The Good Neighbor Policy that encouraged Americans to reach out to our neighboring countries. Cinco de Mayo was first introduced to Americans at this time. In the 1960s, Chicano activists made the holiday more visible as a method to inspire cultural pride among Mexican-Americans.
By the time the 1980s rolled around, the holiday had been slowly growing in notoriety. Throughout this decade’s commercialism, Cinco de Mayo had been advertised as an excellent holiday to devote to drinking alcoholic beverages from American companies. It is because of these companies that Cinco do Mayo had become mainstream in American culture, although the true meaning of it, to celebrate Mexico’s victory against the French in 1862, was diluted.
Becoming more of a mainstream holiday has exposed more Americans to the traditions of our Mexican neighbors. Their wonderful music, foods, and traditions have made their way into our lives. A large part of our society anticipates the Cinco de Mayo holiday each year.
Cinco de Mayo has become a wonderful reason to indulge ourselves with margaritas, nachos and all things Latino. You can get all dressed up in bright traditional clothing, grab some sombreros, throw a Mexican flag up on the wall, hang dried chilies around the house and just have fun. The schools teach about this holiday, so have your children share what they have learned and incorporate it all into your celebration.
Some people throw big parties on May 5th. It’s not a holiday reserved just for Mexicans anymore. All sorts of ethnic groups now jump on the bandwagon. Some groups even hold their own parades and festivals to add to the celebratory mood. In some places, the celebration has spread to immense proportions. New York, Port Huron, and Los Angeles are all home to huge Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
For those who prefer to celebrate closer to home, it is easy to make their own preparations for the celebration. They may cook , put up decorations, and listen to traditional mariachi music. Private parties are almost as popular now as the public parties held in restaurants, bars, and communities around the country.
Cinco de Mayo is a great reason to explore those Mexican recipes you have been curious about. Make some great food for your family to enjoy and share some Mexican culture. Invite your friends to come over and have them bring some snacks.
For those who like to go out, check out the local Mexican restaurants for menu specials and parties they may be planning. You can always go out for a great meal, margaritas, and dancing to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. If you prefer a quieter celebration, enjoy some home cooked tacos and pop Zorro into the DVD player. You do not have to do what everyone else does to celebrate.
Whether you prefer chicken, steak, fish or vegetarian food, fajitas make a great dinner because they come in all these varieties and you can even make with different fillings easily enough if your family do not all like the same thing. Fajitas make a nicely filling snack or dinner.