Fiesta de Cinco De Mayo!

When someone says Cinco De Mayo, our thoughts turn to sunshine, music, and parties. Mexican piñatas raining candy on eager hands is a hallmark of the Cinco De Mayo celebrations here in the United States. Each year, this celebration becomes more popular and is being adopted into our holiday calendars. Cinco De Mayo translates in English to The 5^th of May. It is not a celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day as many think. That is celebrated September 16^th. Cinco De Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the beginning, it was a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla with limited recognition in other parts of Mexico. For more in-depth information on the interesting heritage of this holiday, click on this link for facts and history. With a growing Mexican population in many areas locally, commercial interest groups have helped raise awareness of the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, and music. Today, here in the United States, many celebrate this day along with our cultural neighbors with piñatas, candy, ice cold beverages and colorful fun decorations. Here are some party ideas for your fiesta: 1. A toe-tapping music CD packed with Mexican themed music can add a festive mood to the background of your party. 2. Mark off a wide area around your piñata for the safety of all your guests. 3. Mix up a large punch bowl of your favorite citrus punch to ladle out and garnish with limes. A simple mixture of lemon-lime soda and lime sherbet is delicioso! 4. Make table centerpieces out of straw sombrero's. Or use the sombrero's lined with paper and filled with chips! 5. Keep your food simple. Tortillas, chips, salsa, a crock pot of cheese sauce, a few bowls of jalepenos are staples to begin with. Make a taco bar with all the fixings! Whatever you do, have fun and take some time to share a moment with your children to expand their appreciation for our neighbors to the south. Then, send out some invitations, put on your sombrero’s, hang the piñata, and serve up some colorful fun this Cinco De Mayo. Tener una gran fiesta del Cinco de Mayo!(Have a great Cinco De Mayo party!)