I’m not Hispanic…. at all…in fact I’m a bit of a mutt, with Irish, Swedish, Scottish & a few other bits added in. But as it happens, I have a serious addiction to Mexican food & Cinco de Mayo provides an excellent excuse to indulge. Spicy guacamole, frosty margaritas, on the rocks with salt, (Festive Recipe) a fiery fajita, cheesy nachos, crunchy tacos, enchiladas, & quesadillas…yummm!

Here are cinco facts for you:

• Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in both the U.S. & Mexico.
• During the Civil War, the Mexican-American communities in the west celebrated Cinco de Mayo to commemorate freedom & democracy.
• The holiday in Mexico is in remembrance of a battle won against the French.
• What began as a localized tradition spread over time to the rest of the U.S. & Mexico.
• In 2005 the U.S. Congress made the holiday official.

Here are cinco ways to celebrate:

• Answer your phone all day by saying “Ola” & use any other Hispanic words you know as often as you can.
• Take cinco adult beverages to a friend…to share!
• Either find cinco fun things to do OR do one fun thing cinco times…example: Call cinco friends to wish them “Happy Cinco de Mayo” – OR- call one friend cinco times!
• Listen to some great Hispanic music…it abounds & can be very zippy…you may end up shaking some things you haven’t shaken in a while. Click for the Top Ten Song List: http://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/music/cinco-de-mayo-in-la-top-10-songs-for-your-fiesta  
• Visit your favorite Cinco de Mayo restaurant & over-indulge a bit.

What I like best about Cinco de Mayo is that it celebrates history & culture. It honors & teaches a bit & offers us the opportunity to look beyond our usual boundaries. There should be more days like it. While we manage to have Cinco de Mayo & St. Patrick’s Day, imagine how much we could learn about each other if we had the chance to celebrate other cultures & nationalities. There are currently 196 countries in the world which means we could have a party about every other day!

It seems that at the very least, we should find a way to honor & celebrate those who came before us. Whether  you’re Hispanic or not, whether you will celebrate this day or not, maybe you can find a way to remember your own heritage & the people who trod the path that brought you here. So while you’re raising your margarita, take a moment to choose a day to celebrate your own heritage.

Call me, I’ll join you!!!

Me…I’m off to find some of that music!!!