How to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a Spanish celebration which, translated to English, means "Fifth of May." It honors the Mexican army's defeat of French forces on May 5, 1862, signaling the beginning of Mexico's independence. The date is celebrated annually throughout Mexico and the United States with parties and events featuring Mexican cuisine and culture. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Determine where you will host your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Decide if the event will be held indoors or outside. Use the location as a basis to decide the number of people you will invite to the event.
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Send out invitations to everyone on your invitee list two to three weeks prior to the event. Request responses by April 25th to ensure you have enough time to order or prepare food and drinks for everyone who will attend. State in the invitation that the theme of the party is Cinco de Mayo and that Mexican food, drinks and music will be the highlight of the event. If you want to make your celebration more authentic, have guests wear Mexican-inspired clothing and hats.
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Write out a menu for the event. Stick to Mexican dishes for appetizers, entrees, snacks and desserts. Consider appetizers such as nachos, tostados and fresh corn chips with both salsa and guacamole. Entree choices could include enchiladas, burritos and fajitas. You can also incorporate a taco bar into your party where guests create their own tacos from an assortment of ingredients such as seasoned beef, shredded chicken, cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes and sour cream. Dessert choices could include Mexican classics such as flan, sopapillos or even Mexican chocolate fondue.
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Determine the types of beverages and drinks you will have available for guests. Make sure you have bottled water, juice and soda for those with less than exotic tastes. Consider purchasing some Mexican soda in flavors such as mango, watermelon and guava which can be found in the ethnic section of most larger grocery stores or at a market specializing in Spanish food. For alcoholic beverage options, stick to Mexican classics such as margaritas and Mexican beer. If you are serving straight shots of tequila, make sure you have sliced limes and salt shakers placed near the shot glasses for easy access.
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Fill a pinata with candy and other items. Use a pinata that is brightly colored and opt for one in the shape of a sombrero or a donkey. If neither of those is available, a brightly colored sun-shaped pinata will also work well with the Cinco de Mayo theme. Make sure the stick used to hit the pinata is also brightly colored.
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Gather and organize a playlist of music to use during the celebration. Select Mexican music such as mariachi or banda style music. Incorporate some current Mexican songs in to your playlist and have your music collection ready to go before the celebration begins. Have music playing the day of your party as guests arrive to get everyone in the mood right off the bat.
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Use brightly colored decorations at your event. Hang streamers, balloons and banners. Hang a Mexican flag in a common area. Use dinnerware or paper plates, napkins, cups and cutlery in the colors of the Mexican flag: red, green and white.
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Tips & Warnings
Plan your party or celebration in advance in case others are planning similar events.
Consider going out for a Mexican meal if you do not have the time, money or space available to host a large celebration.
Do not allow party guests to drive home after consuming too much alcohol and never allow minors to have alcohol.
References
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