For when you’re asked: “Why do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo?”

Cinco de Mayo is one of the few celebrations that we celebrate, but don’t exactly know why… Growing up, I can recall going to a celebration at the park: there was always lots of Mexican food,  Banda and Mariachi music, games, and face painting— and let’s not forget the friendly politicians trying to get the Latino vote—they were always so nice…

Anyway, this was Cinco de Mayo to me—a fun celebration that I knew nothing about #SpanglishGirlProblems. I knew it wasn’t Mexico’s Independence day because that celebration was even bigger–it had fireworks and a carnival (it’s amazing how you categorize things as a child). But then one day I finally read an article in a Mexican newspaper, and to my surprise—Cinco de Mayo is a celebration to commemorate the  Battle of Puebla and it’s symbolism of the Mexican spirit.

So if we’re going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (and, of course, I plan to!), than we might as well know what we’re celebrating—especially if you’re Mexican-American because if you happen to be the only Latin@ in the room you’re likely to get asked, “Why do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo?”

To help prepare you for the inevitable question, here are some videos to watch: they explain Cinco de Mayo in depth and cover why we came to celebrate it in the U.S.:

PS. Remember to check out our blog page for Mexican recipes and other Cinco de Mayo ideas, and don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Happy Cinco de Mayo,

Spanglish Girl