Like Valentine's Day, like St. Patrick's Day, like many other "holidays" in the United States, we take the word "holiday" literally and use Cinco de Mayo as a reason to celebrate. We call it a day early, head out to the closest Mexican restaurant or bar to indulge in way too many chips, salsa and guacamole, and celebrate with gleeful, drunken shouts of “Happy Cinco de Mayo!”

But as we clink lime-seasoned long-neck Coronas against our friend's salt-rimmed margarita glass, do we even know what we're celebrating? In fact, is Cinco de Mayo even a reason to celebrate at all, or should we just be respectfully observing the day? Do we all know why we do rows upon rows of tequila shots as if the 5th of May were the first day of Spring Break in Cancun?!

Come on, it’s Mexico’s Independence Day! No señor, Mexico's Independence Day is diez y seis de Septiembre (September 16). That's a long way off from Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo is the commemoration of the victory of the Mexican people over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. But for all the revelry that we do now, the victory back then was not any sort of turning point for Mexico, as Napoleon sent additional French troops to Mexico shortly thereafter, eventually deposing the Mexican military.

That’s not to say that Cinco de Mayo, isn’t important. It is, because remembering the Battle fo Puebla honors the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin and the bravery of his small, outnumbered militia. The victory helped create a much needed sense of national unity in Mexico at the time.

That's the brief history behind today’s holiday, and as with so many other national, religious, and other "holidays," American commercial interests have totally taken advantage. Companies are promoting Mexican products and services focused on food, beverages and festivities. Sure, there is quite a grand celebration down in Mexico in the region of Puebla itself, where the historical battle took place, but in many cities close to the U.S./Mexico border, or in areas with large populations of people with Mexican heritage, the festivities are on an even grander scale than in Puebla, where the historical moment occurred.

Still, though I am skeptical about the majority of the people who will be taking off early from work today to "celebrate," I will be right alongside them, red-faced from my margarita on the rocks with no salt!

Related posts for Cinco de Mayo:
Drinks
Pineapple margaritas
Agua Loca instead of sangria
Margaritas with Monkey
Cerveza for Cinco de Mayo

Health
Eating Mexican healthfully