Cinco de Mayo Food and Traditions
In the United States, many people know about Cinco de Mayo. Huge crowds cannot wait to start the festivities every May. But few know the really history for this Mexican celebration. The average person in the States will say it has something to do with “the Mexican freedom thing,” that is not the truth. Independence Day for Mexico is the 16th of September.
In the 1950s, the United States’ Good Neighbor Policy encouraged its people to reach out to neighboring lands. This is when Americans were introduced to Cinco de Mayo. In the ’60s, the holiday was pushed further into the public eye by Chicano activists as a way to spark cultural pride amongst Mexican-Americans.
Through the following decades, this celebration kept growing with the “popular culture” movement. The commercialism of Cinco de Mayo finally pushed it into the mainstream, advertising it as a fun new holiday for food and alcoholic beverages. The correct meaning for this holiday, the victory over the French by Mexico in 1862, has gotten a bit watered down.
As Cinco de Mayo became more mainstream, more Americans wanted to explore better ways to celebrate. They began researching the Mexican traditions, foods, and music that would make Cinco de Mayo a holiday to anticipate every year.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is a great excuse to really indulge oneself into all things Mexican. Partygoers can dress in traditional bright clothing, decorate their homes with the Mexican flag, sombreros, and chili peppers, and have a lot of fun with the day. Kids learn about the holiday in school and bring home more interesting bits of information to share with their parents.
Some people plan big parties for the 5th of May. It is no longer a holiday just for the Mexican community. People from all ethnic groups join in the fun. Some communities have festivals and parades to help the celebration mood. In some big cities, the celebration has grown to large proportions. Los Angeles, New York and Port Huron, Michigan are sites of very large Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
For those preferring to celebrate closer to home, it is simple to plan a special night of their own. They might make some Cinco de Mayo food, decorate, and put on some traditional mariachi music to listen to. Private parties are now nearly as popular as public parties held in bars, restaurants, and communities across the nation.
These parties are a great way to introduce yourself to new Cinco de Mayo recipes that may have piqued your curiosity. Call your family and friends over to break tortillas together. Tell them not to forget the salsa!
If you find that the margaritas are better at the Mexican cantinas or you just love eating out, go for it. Your neighborhood Mexican bistro will have a great celebration planned. Just sit back, enjoy the music, and dance to your heart’s content. There is nothing that says you have to make it a huge celebration, either. You can pick up or cook your own simple meal, drop in a DVD of your favorite Zorro movie and sit back and enjoy.
Mexican food is a clever combination of traditional Mexican ingredients and aromatic spices. There are many different Mexican meals you can make yourself for your family, such as the delicious ones at MexicanFoodRecipes.org. You will also find cooking tips, an in depth guide to Mexican food, a unique look of the varied history on Mexican food and much more to capture your interest.
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