Cinco de Mayo

It's Cinco de Mayo!! Besides Christmas, I think this is my favorite holiday!! Why? Honestly, I think I just really like the name. Oh, and it brings together some of my favorite things... beer, Mexican food and friends. My husband finds it mildly disturbing that I get so excited for this day. He chose not to participate in the 5:45am photo shoot that the rest of us wanted to do. OK, so I was really the only one, but the kids and the dog have no choice, haha!

I started celebrating Cinco de Mayo in college. The horrible dining hall at NEC would serve tacos and it was another excuse to drink(my liver is still feeling the effects of my college experience). I have celebrated every year Mexican style, except for the one year I was so excited to go to On The Border near the mall because it had just opened and everyone else in Cumberland County had the same idea so, that year I celebrated at the Olive Garden. After that depressing experience, I decided to have it at home every year and invite friends over. I always assumed that Cinco de Mayo was a huge holiday in Mexico. The whole country shut down, parades were everywhere, Corona flowed like water and they celebrated their equivalent to July 4th. Late last night I made a run to Hannaford for some Avocados that I forgot to buy. When talking to the cashier(come on, I talk to every one) she mentioned something about it being the day of the dead. WHAT?? I realized I loved this "holiday" and I had no idea about it. Time for my favorite source in life... Wikipedia!

I go online and the first thing I read is, Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which occurs on September 16. Yep, I was the one confused. Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a Mexican civic holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. It is celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla and in the United States. While Cinco de Mayo sees limited significance in Mexico itself, the date is observed nationwide mostly in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. So basically one small area of Mexico and the US celebrate.

In the United States Cinco de Mayo has taken on a significance beyond that in Mexico. The date is perhaps best recognized in the United States as a date to celebrate the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican ancestry, much as St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, and the Chinese New Year are used to celebrate those of Irish, German, and Chinese ancestry respectively. Similar to those holidays, Cinco de Mayo is observed by many Americans regardless of ethnic origin. Even dogs celebrate :)

We're celebrating at daycare today! I'm going to have all the kids color Sombrero's. Then I will attach them to a photo I took of them. They will go home with a picture of them self wearing a Sombrero, I love it! We'll also enjoy some chicken nachos today at lunch! We'll call nap time a siesta!


From our house to yours, Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!