Happy Cinco de Mayo!
This year Cinco de Mayo falls on a Sunday (which kind of puts a damper on the whole “partying hard” thing). Most people just get hammered without knowing what they’re actually celebrating. In fact, according to a recent survey, 60% of Americans don’t know WHY we celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Most think its Mexico’s Independence Day, but it’s not (that’s celebrated on September 16th). But Cinco de Mayo . . . literally translated as the “Fifth of May” . . . celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. And it’s a bigger celebration here in the states, but it’s not a huge deal in Mexico. Mexican Independence Day in September and the Day of the Dead around Halloween are way bigger holidays. It’s popular in the U.S. thanks in part to beer marketing back in the 1980s, when beer companies made a push to spin Cinco de Mayo as a “Mexican St. Patrick’s Day” in order to sell more beer. The top ways Americans celebrate Cinco de May are: Eating Mexican food, drinking margaritas and beer, and celebrating Mexican culture.
