Oh man. I used to love this holiday. I would dress up in red, throw on some party beads, and hit a local Mexican restaurant. I’d eat a basket of chips (maybe two!) with some tableside guacamole and order a couple of tacos. I always went with a pack of girls, and I’m sure I dragged Yev along once we became serious. It was also the only day of the year I would drink tequila. It would literally take me another 365 days to decide that was a good decision, and maybe I should try it again. This was always a bad decision. I can’t drink tequila at all now. Even a picture makes me queasy!
Now that I’m in my 30s, I often forget it’s even Cinco de Mayo. I can barely tell you what day of the week it is, let alone what day of the month it is. And I honestly can’t remember the last time I celebrated with tacos and margs. Take today for example. I have a murder mystery birthday party where we’re all dressing up as 1920s characters, and if I didn’t have a birthday party, I’d be sitting on the couch watching Netflix. This would have never happened in my early 20s. There would have been an uproar over missing out on discounted tequila shots and tacos. But as an adult now, I’ve realized I can get in my car and grab Mexican food and drink Tequila whenever I want. I don’t need a holiday to facilitate this.
And the older I became, I realized how odd it was that we even celebrated another country’s holiday, and, apparently, we get crazier than they do. And to clarify, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It commemorates the Mexican army defeating the French army at the battle of Puebla. How many of you knew that?
So what are your plans for Cinco de Mayo? I can promise you that mine won’t include Tequila. Tacos I’m cool with though. Bring on the tacos 😍.
Jacqueline Pinchuk 