Hey, I’m a Mexican now, and this is a new holiday for me! Before I met Michael, it was generally spent drinking and partying, and just another excuse to go out and have fun. Okay, okay…it still is just another excuse to go out and have fun, but it is also much more than that, and I decided I wanted to look further into this holiday and figure out exactly what it all meant.

Cinco de Mayo means “The Fifth of May” in Spanish. It’s a regional holiday, and not even a federal holiday in Mexico. It’s a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. It started with the victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Which didn’t really matter because a year later the French occupied Mexico, placing Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico on the throne of Mexico. Not until 5 years later were Maximilian and the French defeated and expelled in 1867.

Oh and don’t you for one minute go thinking that this is Mexico’s Independence Day. So many people in the United States think that, but Mexico’s Independence Day is actually on September 16. In Spanish, that would be called Dieciséis De Septiembre, and just not as damn fun and catchy as Cinco De Mayo.

Don’t I sound smart? Wikipedia can do that to a person.

Hell…it’s really just about the margaritas, and the Dos Equis! Cheers!

On this day..

• Comments turned off - 2005
• Reduce Your Carbon Footprint - 2007
• Star Wars trivia. I got spanked - 2007