The Mija Chronicles

Mexican food and culture, on both sides of the border

How Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo (hint: it’s not with sombreros and maracas)

by

It’s funny. Last year I don’t remember there being such hoopla in the States over Cinco de Mayo. Or maybe there was and I ignored it because it seemed normal. This year, multiple friends in the States have asked me about Cinco de Mayo celebrations here. My Twitter feed and Google Alerts have blown up with various Cinco de Mayo party tips and recipe ideas.

It seems a little strange, because people in Mexico — or at least, people in Mexico City — don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo. No one has the day off. There are no two-for-one margarita happy hour specials. (Chilangos don’t drink margaritas, unless they have American friends in town.) No one really throws any parties, and there aren’t any parades in the streets. The latter is really saying something, because there are parades for just about any holiday here.

Mexico City’s largest newspaper, El Universal, doesn’t even mention Cinco de Mayo on its website today. There is a big story on Paulina Rubio being pregnant.

The truth is, Cinco de Mayo has become more important in the United States than it has in Mexico. Kind of cool, isn’t it? It’s the one day out of the year when we get to acknowledge that Mexico has influenced who we are as Americans, through food and drink and music. (For a little Cinco de Mayo food history, check this AOL News story, which traces the American roots of a few popular dishes.)

The most important part of the holiday, to me, is the idea that Mexican influence and Mexican-American identity are positive things, and not anything we should ignore or view with suspicion.

My senior year in college, my roommates and I threw a big Cinco de Mayo party and I remember being really happy about it, because at the time — living in Boston — I felt pretty culturally isolated. (Most Latinos in the city then were either Puerto Rican or Dominican.)

I remember standing by the stove for much of the night, and not minding it at all, because I was warming tortillas and making quesadillas and who knows what else. People seemed very impressed that there was another way to warm tortillas besides in the microwave. And very few people had ever had homemade Mexican food before. We played mariachi music and I wore an embroidered Mexican blouse, which I promptly spilled red enchilada sauce on. It was a great night.

For a detailed history on Cinco de Mayo and how it’s celebrated in the United States, I highly recommend Wikipedia.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo to you!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I happened to be in Puebla a few years back on Cinco de Mayo — I didn’t plan it that way, but I was exploring on my own for a few days before meeting friends in Mexico City.

    I knew that Cinco de Mayo wasn’t celebrated in Mexico the way it was in the US, but I figured that there might be some sort of commemoration in the city where the actual battle was fought. Nope — so far as I could tell, there was nothing. People I asked gave me the kind of puzzled stares usually reserved for someone who is slightly but harmlessly crazy.

  2. A friend told me that she grew up believing Cinco de Mayo was Mexican Mother’s Day.

  3. Well just so you know, In Romania the 5th of May has become for the past couple of years “men’s day” just like the 8th of March is women’s day, only they don’t get gifts, their boss won’t turn a blind eye to them being late to work that day, and they’re lucky if they get a beer and an irony-filled “happy men’s day!”. But since this started from an advertising campain of a beer company that went a bit too over the top, I think it’s quite enough for now;))

  4. No one celebrates Cinco de Mayo in the Puerto Vallarta area, either. In the States, it seems only the supermarkets make big deal out of it, with their specials on Tecate, Pace Picante Sauce, and tostada chips. It seems to be a non-event. But we’ll toast the day with a cerveza anyway.

  5. Superbly written. Thanks for sharing this info. Very few blogs contain facts. I think blogs these days are more about ‘opinion’ than facts and your post was a breath of fresh air. I was able learn something new. Cheers

  6. What – Paulina Rubio is embarazada?!!
    I like your post. There is definitely a disconnect between real and perceived Mexico that I realized when I lived in Guadalajara.

    If you or anyone reading is interested, I wrote a 30-second history lesson of what happened on the 5th of May in Puebla (with a few embellishments).

    Salud!

    ~Jessie at http://starboardport.com

  7. Nop, not celebrated in the way most people abroad think.
    Some businesses close for the day, some schools don´t have clases.

    Since some people had the day off and it´s hot, probably some people will host a carne asada (bbq) wth friends. Any free day is a great day to get together with friends and have a beer!

    As for me here in the northern part of México, I slept late and plan on reading the rest of the day.

    Salud!

  8. Leslie thank you so much for incorporating the link on SB1070 into your entry. I’m a long time Hispanic Arizona resident and I am saddened by this new law.

  9. “It’s the one day out of the year when we get to acknowledge that Mexico has influenced who we are as Americans, through food and drink and music…. the idea that Mexican influence and Mexican-American identity are positive things, and not anything we should ignore or view with suspicion.” Great points.

  11. Maybe because I grew up in AZ, but we always celebrated it. I guess that won’t happen anymore no that all the brown people will be deported or in jail.

    • melanirae – Evidently you know nothing about the law. Exactly why do you hate the police? By the way, people here illegally, are here ILLEGALLY! So, if you rob a bank and give the money to charity, is it not ILLEGAL just because you had “good” intentions? The “brown” people that will be deported will be those that broke the law. The “brown” people that are in jail… also broke the law. DO you understand what happens when laws become meaningless? How about that law against rape… should we ingore that one?

      • Hi Drew: You’ll notice I edited your comment a bit. This is my personal blog, and I don’t tolerate disrespectful or offensive language on this site. You are welcome to share your opinions as long as you do it in a respectful way.

  12. @Anita – I’m surprised you didn’t see anything in Puebla. While it definitely wasn’t a big party type of holiday the year I was there (2002), there was a big parade downtown. But I guess outside of the parade, nothing much happened. Definitely not celebrated like some people do here in the states.

  13. Feliz 5 de Mayo from the Southern hemisphere!

    It’s been years since I spend one 5-de-Mayo day in Mexico. Now I work as an elementary teacher in Bolivia where there are many civic holidays, many times celebrated “internally” (in the school).

  14. OMG-this photo! I wanted to use it, too. I’m glad you did! It reminds me of that Dumb and Dumber movie character…

    I think any excuse to drink ‘ritas should be a (inter) national holiday!

    congrats on being featured on Freshly Pressed!

  15. I, too, was surprised to find out that Cinco de Mayo is not widely celebrated in Mexico (and blogged about it, too)! I agree, what a great American holiday–to celebrate the influence and culture of our southern neighbor! Feliz Cinco de Mayo to you, too!

  16. I found you on Freshly Pressed 🙂
    You know, being American, it never occured to me that Mexico didn’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo like we do! I read the whole Wiki page though after reading your post…very interesting indeed!
    Well, tonight, I’ll be combining both. I’m going to a baseball game, where I’ll be eating nachos and drinking Tecate 😀

    • Hi Arlene: WordPress will automatically link your URL to your name, you just need to make sure you’re logged in. If that still doesn’t work, log out and then post the comment the old-fashioned way but entering all of your info. (Name, URL, etc.) Not sure if you know this, but it’s considered bad etiquette to write your URL within the text of your comment! Just a heads up. 🙂

      • And enjoy the nachos and Tecate! Wish good ol’ American nachos were easy to find in Mexico… alas they’re not.

    • I tried the logout thing 🙂 I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to put my blog address!
      What kind of nachos do you get in Mexico?

      • They don’t exist at all. If you want to make them, you have to buy your own tortilla chips and shred a pile of real cheese, at home. But sometimes you just want some Velveeta, you know? I think they may have Velveeta at Costco in Mexico City but I’m not sure — in any case, it’s too far for me.

        I did try these things called “totachos” at a bar a few months back. They were totopos, which is the Spanish word for “tortilla chips,” that came with a side of truly foul orangey-yellow nacho cheese. It was like movie-theater nacho cheese, but with a vague dirty-sock smell. I could only stomach one. “Totachos” is a cross of “totopos” and “nachos.” Great idea, bad execution.

  19. Thanks so much for posting this!!! I have been telling my American friends for years now that Cinco de Mayo is actually an American holiday that is not observed here in Mexico.

    Of course we do learn about the Batalla de Puebla in school, but it is a noon holiday nonetheless.

  20. I’ve never been in Mexico on Cinco de Mayo but this is pretty much what I expected. I live in Chile now and when I mention it people are like Wha?!? Should we know this!? Holidays are funny cultural thngs.

  21. They go all out at our local Mexican restaurant here in my home town…I didn’t know they do not celebrate the holiday in their home country!! Wow!

  22. This was a great read. Thanks for sharing. I like how the salsa stain on your blouse was a sign of a succesful Cinco de Mayo Party.

  25. So funny! We, Americans, will find any reason to party and drink heavily. Just ask my DH, the Brit, who won’t dare celebrate St. Patty’s Day.

    Years ago, I taught in a rural city mostly comprised of Mexican immigrants and every year for Cinco de Mayo, they put on a huge parade. I just thought they brought their Cinco de Mayo traditions (parades and fiestas) with them to the States. Who knew it was all a big charade?! I feel so silly, but that might have something to do with the huge sombrero I’m wearing. 😉

  26. Excellent blog! I was having a very baaaaaaaaaaaaad day and reading this put a smile on my face… thank u!

  27. Great post! It got me thinking… I wonder if Latinos in the U.S. can embrace cinco de mayo, instead of constantly reminding Americans that it isn’t something Mexicans celebrate. What if May 5 meant something more than just a day to get drunk off of margaritas. Maybe we can reclaim this day, as a day, maybe, where we passed a law to finally give respect and appreciation and love (not hate) to mexican immigrants in this country. That would be a 5 de Mayo worth celebrating. A day that actually meant something deeply meaningful. Thanks for the post!

  30. …. wow. This is nice to know. It’s a big thing here in the Philippines too. Every year cinco de mayo gets bigger and bigger! and we celebrate with half off margaritas!

  31. I loved your post. I am a chilango who is know back from Romania and on his way to Toluca :)) I will read more from your blog in short. Keep it up!

  33. Hi! Just wanna say I like your posting on How Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
    I think it’s fascinating..
    Okay, looking forward to another great posting from you.

    a.t. (“,)

  35. I found that funny, nobody in Mexico celebrates cinco de mayo? How ironic. Sounds like a reason for Americans just to get drunk haha..

  38. We don’t have any good holidays here for eating Mexican food, and Mexican food is really really tasty, so… why not use THIS one! After all, who’s going to turn down another reason to party? Oh, I suppose some people will. Personally, I’ve never celebrated this day, but I do appreciate it when the Corona goes on sale, and you can get good deals on nachos and guacamole.

  39. The evolution of holidays is super interesting, and Cinco de Mayo is totally a case in point. It seems like a kind of national/ethnic pride day here in the Bay Area. And an excuse for college kids to get wasted and look like, well, that photo you found. Effing classic!!

    Still fantisizing about getting a DF street food tour from you…

  40. I live here in Guadalajara and the schools, as well as other businesses, had a freakin 5 day weekend! Monday was Cinco de Mayo, over the weekend was Dia de los Niños and another day was Dia de los albañiles! Mexicans are always down to party!!!!

    They might not celebrate the supposed “independance” day (which is actually in September), but they honor the battle of Puebla… and of course, take the day off and head to the beach!

  41. This reminds me of every time I ask a local Mexican what tequila they like: the universal answer is el Jimador, which is almost unknown outside of Mexico. Ahhh, advertising even makes Americans drink the piss water they call Corona. I raise my glass to authenticity (and it is filled with el Jimador and jamaica juice) – here here for Me-xi-co.

  44. Thanks for posting that Lesley! I did not mean to vent so harshly but my Mexican blood was boiling wish such pride, fury, and rage!

  45. Only 4 more days until we party like wild maniacs here in Los Angeles, Alta California!!!!:-)