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 USA began the Good Neighbor Policy. This program encouraged citizens to make contact with the neighboring countries. The USA got its first taste of Cinco de Mayo at that time. The holiday became more prominent as Chicano advocates used it to help boost Mexican-American pride.

By the time the 1980s rolled around, the holiday had been slowly growing in notoriety. Throughout this decade’s commercialism, Cinco de Mayo had been advertised as an excellent holiday to devote to drinking alcoholic beverages from American companies. It is because of these companies that Cinco do Mayo had become mainstream in American culture, although the true meaning of it, to celebrate Mexico’s victory against the French in 1862, was diluted.

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.

You can always stay home and celebrate with friends and family. To plan your celebration right, start thinking about how you can cook Cinco de Mayo food, find salsa music and supply fun and colorful decorations. Your private bash can become as fashionable as the community parties thrown around town can.

If you have ever been curious about some Mexican recipes, Cinco de Mayo is the perfect time to try them. Make some excellent food for you and your family to enjoy and share some of the culture of Mexico. Invite some friends over and have them bring snacks.

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.

Authentic Mexican rice recipes include the famous soft and fluffy Mexican rice. Rice is a filling side dish and is served with various Mexican dishes. As long as you leave the lid on the pan while it cooks, resisting the urge to peek, your Mexican rice dish should come out perfectly!

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