Fact to share when you are drinking your margarita later today: Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day. That day is September 16.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over a French army in the Battle of Puebla. The holiday is celebrated in the city of Puebla and the United States, not the rest of Mexico. Today is more of a U.S. holiday than a Mexican holiday.
In my book, any holiday in which the United States shows appreciation for Mexican culture is a happy day though…even if it is not what we think we are celebrating.
What is your favorite way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
And for the record, September 16th in Mexico is a crazy party. In 2003, we almost had our eyes poked out with falling shrapnel from the fireworks. On our way home from that, we saw a lady who we are pretty sure got hit by a car and was laying on the side of the road. Andy said to us (two of our sisters and a friend were visiting), “Don’t look to your right.” And what does one do when someone says not to look? Correct, we looked…and that image will be burned into my mind forever because the woman’s leg was positioned such that if she was alive she would have been screaming in pain.
This way to the cafeteria. (So I Married An Axe Murderer reference)
Sorry for ruining a perfectly happy post about a fun day.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
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Happy Belated Cinco De Mayo!!!! Hope you are having a fabulous time!
Thanks for sharing these facts. The interesting thing is if you have enough margaritas you really don’t care what inspired the holiday.
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