7 Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War, and the holiday has become a time to appreciate Mexican culture and heritage. Here are seven ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home.

Crafts

Create the Mexican flag with red and green paint, cotton swabs, white card stock and a pencil. Separate paper into three sections. Paint red and green in the appropriate segments using the cotton swabs to dot, finger painting or a brush to fill in the whole section. Print an emblem to go into the center section. Color the emblem, then cut and glue it to the center of the flag.

Make tissue paper flowers with tissue paper, green paper, pipe cleaner, a ruler, glue and scissors. Stack three sheets on top of one another, line them up and cut into 12×6″ sheets. Line them up and fold them accordion-style. Trim the ends of the tissue paper into a rounded edge. Place the green pipe cleaner in the center of the tissue paper, looping the stem around the middle of the folded tissue paper strip. Twist onto itself to hold the tissue paper strip in place. Open up the tissue paper, pulling apart evenly from both ends. Cut leaves out of the green paper and glue onto the stem.

Be Brave, Keep Going

Create Ojo De Dios with colored yarn, craft sticks, scissors and super glue. Hold two sticks together with your thumb and forefinger, or glue the craft sticks together in the center. Wrap yarn around the sticks diagonally 2-3 times, and then 2-3 times in the opposite direction. Wrap the yarn around one side of the cross. Carry it over the previously yarn-covered section, following the line of what you’ve already done. Wrap the yarn over each side and across diagonally. Continue wrapping until you reach your desired number of rows. When you’re ready to change colors, tie the two pieces of yarn together and continue wrapping. Once you’ve reached the desired color and combo length, take the yarn and tie it off.

Piñata Fun

Make your own Paper Plate Piñata with paper plates, glue, stapler, tissue paper and candy. Make fringe with the tissue paper. Place both paper plates together and staple one end. Glue the tissue paper decorations onto the plate. Let the glue dry before stuffing with candy. Staple closed. Hang with string.

Spaceships & Laser Beams

Celebrate with a sombrero-shaped piñata using crepe paper, tissue paper, paper cup, paper plate and candy. Trace the bottom of the cup onto the paper plate and cut with a craft knife. Cover the hole with tissue paper. Cut the outer rim of the plate. Fill the cup with candy. Center cup onto the plate and tape down. Cut strips of crepe paper and fringe. Glue the fringe to the outer rim until you completely cover the plate and cup.

Music

Learn a few Spanish phrases and words with music and fun videos. Learn the alphabet with Spanish for Kids. Calico Spanish for Kids goes through colors. Sing a nursery rhyme with HooplaKidz. Learn how to introduce yourself with “Sesame Street.” Check out RockAlingua for music-based Spanish learning.

Enjoy a Meal

Celebrate with On The Border with $5 ‘Ritas, $1 Gold Tequila meltdowns, Grand Marnier souvenir sidecars and more; or order Family Meals for takeout that serve 4-5 people.

El Azteca has takeout, curbside service and delivery for quesadillas, nachos, tacos and more.

Dine in or order Tin Lizzy’s for quesadillas, tacos, skillets and more. With OCHO Days of Cinco, enjoy $5 Herradura Margaritas, $3 Tecate Light & Dos Equis Ambar cans from May 1-8.

Superica has fajitas, enchiladas, tacos and more.

El Taco has fajitas, enchiladas, a Mexican pizza and more. They’re offering drink and food specials for the holiday.

Order from Tacos & Tequilas for chimichangas, skillets, burritos and more.

Raging Burrito has quesadillas, burritos, tacos and more.

Taqueria del Mar has seafood, burritos, enchiladas and more.

Order Frontera for burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more; get a Family Meal for takeout that serves 3-8 people.

Taqueria los Hermanos has nachos, quesadillas, tacos and more.

Order a cinco party kit from bartaco for tacos, sides, chips, salsa verde, stickers, temporary tattoos and more. Ordering open through May 4.

Abbotts Bar and Grill will have all day food and drink specials.

Enjoy Paella on the Patio and live music with Mojave Restaurant.

Chuy’s will offer drink specials all day long.

Events

On May 2, enjoy a virtual festival from Plaza Fiesta with singers, dancers and more.

Listen to a live mariachi band at Colony Square’s Cinco de Mayo lunchtime celebration featuring food and festive swag.

Playtime

Purchase a Fiesta Fun Boredom Buster Kit from Oriental Trading for beach balls, a piñata, bubbles and more for a festive celebration at home. $29.99.

Check out Artelexia Mexican and Latin American gifts, art, home décor, gourmet foods, toys, games and more. The site has stickers, puzzles, games, balloons, dolls, rattles and more from $0.50-$195.

Recipes

$Slice of vegetarian tortilla casserole on a plate$

Panning the Globe

Get creative in the kitchen with these Mexican-inspired meals and tools.

Make your own tortillas with the Red Cast Iron Tortilla Press and your own guacamole with the Molcajete with Tortilla Basket.

Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-oz. can stewed or diced tomatoes
1 4-oz. can chopped mild green chilies
2 c. frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
12 corn tortillas
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese
Toppings: Salsa, sour cream or yogurt, scallions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine beans, tomatoes, chilies, corn, scallions, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt in a large bowl.
Lightly oil a 2-3 quart casserole dish. Line the bottom with 6 tortillas, allowing them to overlap in the middle. You can cut off some of the round edges so the tortillas fit against the edge of your casserole dish. Scoop on half the bean mixture. Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Add another layer of tortillas; the rest of the bean mixture and the rest of the cheese.
Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
Cut into squares and serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream or yogurt to spoon on top.

Cheese Quesadillas

2 8″ flour tortillas
⅔ c. Monterey Jack cheese
4 tsp. vegetable oil
Possible additions: tomatoes, ham, scallions, black beans, cilantro, jalapenos, chicken.

Directions:

Sprinkle half of cheese over half of first tortilla. Fold tortilla in half, forming half-moon shape with cheese inside and press to flatten. Repeat with second tortilla and remaining cheese.
Use pastry brush to brush top of each quesadilla with 1 tsp. oil. Place quesadillas in 10″ nonstick skillet, oiled sides down. Brush second with another tsp. oil.
Heat skillet over medium heat and cook until bottoms are crisp and well browned, 2-3 minutes.
Flip quesadillas and cook until second sides are crisp and browned, 1-2 minutes.
Let the quesadillas cool before cutting and serving.

Crispy Chicken Mini-Tacos

1 c. finely chopped tomato
½ c. finely chopped white onion
1 jalapeno, stemmed and deveined
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bone-in chicken breast, with skin
2 tsp. olive oil, plus 2 tbsp.
Vegetable oil, for frying
6 corn tortillas
¼ c. Mexican crema or sour cream
3 tbsp. shredded iceberg lettuce
3 tbsp. queso fresco or mild feta cheese

Directions:

Salsa: Combine the tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro in a bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the chicken breast with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken on a small sheet pan and roast until fully cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool before shredding.
In a medium shallow skillet heat enough vegetable oil to come half way up the sides of the pan. Shred the chicken into small pieces and put about 2 tbsp. down the center of each corn tortilla. Roll up each tortilla like a cigar and secure them with a toothpick. Fry the tacos until golden brown on all sides, turning once, about four minutes total. Remove the toothpicks and cut each taco in half.
To serve: Top with shredded lettuce and freshly made salsa. Drizzle with Mexican crema and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco.

Sombrero Cookies

Sugar cookies
Can of white icing
Gum drops
Nonpareils or sprinkles

Directions:

Start by putting about half a can of store bought icing into a bag. Then cut off a tiny piece of one corner to make squeezing the icing onto the cookie easy.
Using your icing bag, squeeze a small bead of icing all the way around the cookie.
Pour your nonpareils into a shallow dish and then place the iced cookie face down in the plate of nonpareils.
Turn them back over and add a drop of icing in the center of the cookie.
Add a gum drop to the icing then sprinkle on a few extra nonpareils to cover any extra icing.

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