I have a question for someone who lives in Mexico?

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nowjr

There are military parades as a way of paying tribute to all the heroes, soldiers and civilians that gave their lives for their country. Schools participate in parades too. It takes months of rehearsal and preparation for marching bands to perform and compete among others to be the best. Parades are so popular that people wake up very early and rush to the streets seeking a good spot to watch and enjoy them.

In the PeÃ±Ã³n de los BaÃ±os, a small barrio or neighborhood in Mexico City, very near the airport, the people organize a very popular representation of the Cinco de Mayo battle. This play is a tradition that the people of the PeÃ±Ã³n have kept alive for many years. Some of the inhabitants play the French invaders and others the Mexican army. They even have fights with real gunpowder rifles! And sometimes they do get hurt.

Each city has a ZÃ³calo, where celebrations take place and people of all ages enjoy themselves. The square livens up with music, laughter and vibrant colors.

Families with young children are the first to arrive. Later the young people will fill up the place.

No celebration can be complete without food. A few days before the big event, hundreds of stalls start aligning on the streets near the ZÃ³calo of all the towns. Restaurants all over offer the most representative of Mexican cuisine: Mole Poblano. A thick spicy sauce that comes from blending more than 40 ingredients, and is spread on top of turkey or chicken and Mexican style red rice. Mole is so popular that it is served on nearly every important occasion.

There are usually shows in the squares where there are dancing and music with the ever so popular mariachi bands.

Everybody is there to have fun and make noise with whistles and rattles and horns. In most towns there are fairs set near the squares where people enjoy the rides and play games.

Cinco de Mayo ends with the traditional shouts of Â¡Viva Mexico!

Vaggaloor

Hello. I'm mexican answering from Mexico.

This is what we actually do on may five (cinco de mayo):
NOTHING.

This is NOT a important day in Mexico, this is Puebla's Battle celebration. It happened in the mexican-french war, General Ignacio Zaragoza won that battle against french army. That date is important only in Puebla state and in USA (I don't understand why).

Our real important day is Independence Day, on september 16, we have militar parades at every city and town, we use the Mexican flag everywhere, about the food, we eat "chiles en nogada" ("chilis in nuts"?, that dish has the mexican colors (green, white and red). Try a search on "chiles en nogada", look for images. We do the "Grito" at 15 sep. night, there are many "mexican nights" in schools, restaurants and some other places, where we eat mexican food (just a pretext, we do it all the time), hear mariachi music, drink tequila and dance.

I'll ask you a favor: please send me a mail after you tell your class your project, I wanna know how will they act when you are telling them that 5 de mayo actually is not a big deal in MÃ©xico.

Patito

5 de mayo is also called "La batalla de Puebla" (The battle of Puebla) when the Tlaxcaltecas battled against the french army armed with what they could (machetes, knives, woods, lances, etc.) and won.

This day is celebrated in Mexico with an armed forces parade, and official government events but that's it.
Schools, banks and government suspend activities that day but everyone else has to go to work.

In the US it has been marketed as our biggest celebration, but in Mexico is not, this battle is just one (a very important one of course) of the Independence battle as a whole.
We do celebrate it, but nothing like in the US.

Our biggest celebrations are Independence Day ( beginning at night on September 15Th. and the 16Th.) and Revolution day (November 20Th).

Ã¤mifis

I'm Mexican and I live in Mexico City. To be honest, we don't do anything special on "El cinco de Mayo". However I like it very much because we don't have school that day. Sometimes we do a civic act in school the day before the festivity where we "remember" the battle of puebla when we beat the French invaders.

The truth is that most Mexicans don't give too much importance to this day, or at least nothing compared to the importance we give to the Independence Day on Sepetmber 16, the day of our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, the day of the Mexican Revolution on November 20, All Saints Day and DÃa de Muertos on Novemeber 1st, Holy Week and of course Christmas. Those are the days we celebrate the most. The battle of Puebla is almost not celebrated. I don't know why foreigns think that day is so important in Mexico when it's so scarcely celebrated over here.

weechi

i have lived in mexico, and to be honest...outside of puebla (where the battle between the french and mexican army took place) not a lot goes on at all. i believe we got 1/2 day off work....the same for students. that was about it. oh yeah, and bars had drink specials and stuff. but...it was pretty much just an excuse to bring in more people...there was no real celebration aspect.

the US actually makes a MUCH bigger deal about this holiday than any mexican state. most of my mexican friends thought it was really strange that the US considered it such a big holiday...when in reality, it isn't.

lpaganus

Not much celebrating in the Baja states. A big deal in the US bars, Tequila and Corona beer promotions. Most Americans think its Independence Day. Best to look at the Puebla website for info on the battle.

immigrationpostmaster

Actually, you should try to do a project on the Mexican Independence Day which is September 16th. I think many U.S. Citizens find it easier to say Cinco De Mayo than to say el dieciseis de septiembre or el dia de independencia de mexico. Perhaps that is why it is so popular here. Who'd have thought that laziness played a part???

Ã“utside the city of Puebla very little, the 5th of may is the day when the Poblanos (ppl from puebla) beat the french. The french returned and took over the following year. The actual mexican independence day is Sep. 16th. Cinco de Mayo is a sales pitch for carona, tell your teacher that

eli

on 5 de mayo we celebrate the mexican victory against the french
we have parades and dont go to school, we have asambleas that is where we sing the national anthem and we also re enact the event................

that is what we do in my school

Bozema

Don't live there but know the answer from experience. It is a bigger deal in the U.S. than in Mexico. Mexican Independence Day in September is a bigger deal. I'm not aware of any special food or dances specific to Cinco de Mayo.

Alex

it's just a day off

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