# Why do Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309 "2015-05-05T12:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/61 "2015-05-06T07:20:34Z")
> [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](#): > > That’s much more puzzling to me than why we celebrate it at all. De facto \_\_\_ Heritage Days aren’t unusual, but they’re generally a major \_\_\_ holiday, whereas this is a minor Mexican holiday outside the state where it actually happened. Timing, possibly. The US has had significant waves of immigration from lots of countries, and there is a very long list of foreign holidays that immigrants could have brought with them. Most get celebrated just locally, or by the community concerned, and no doubt many fade away after a generation or so. A few become firmly established and spread outside the community that brought them. What determines which ones get firmly established? I suspect timing is part of it. Weather-wise, early May is a pleasant time to have a holiday in most parts of the US, and there’s a gap between Easter and Memorial Day. Mexican Independence Day might have become established instead except that it’s very close to Labour Day. Italy doesn’t have a major national holiday. Liberation Day and Republic Day are both national holidays in Italy but (a) they’re modern, and (b) I don’t think there’s anywhere where they are the biggest holiday. In Italy the big heritage holiday is always local, the feast of some local saint or patron, celebrated (obviously) on different days in different places. In the US I think Columbus Day serves as a _de facto_ Italian heritage day, to some extent, but it’s not observed in Italy at all ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/62 "2015-05-06T09:14:46Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If you stop and think about it, the way we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day is pretty different from the way it’s celebrated in Ireland. There it’s basically a Holy Day – I mean, there’s definetly drinking and feasting, but I don’t think it’s considered “Let’s Get Shit-faced Day” like it is over here. (Or is it?) It used to be more about mass and parades but nowadays it is not all that distinguishable from its American iteration. It’s a national holiday, not everyone decides to drink but plenty of people do, especially tourists and teenagers. IIRC for much of the 20th century it was illegal to sell alcohol on St Patrick’s Day here and that the law was only changed with the tourist dollar/pound/mark in mind. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/63 "2015-05-06T10:29:39Z")
Associated thread: “Why do people look gift horses in the mouth?” ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/64 "2015-05-06T11:47:56Z")
> [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](#): > > That’s much more puzzling to me than why we celebrate it at all. De facto \_\_\_ Heritage Days aren’t unusual, but they’re generally a major \_\_\_ holiday, whereas this is a minor Mexican holiday outside the state where it actually happened. It most likely wouldn’t be a holiday at all, had the victory not been won by Porfirio Díaz who went on (with a few bumps in the road) to rule Mexico between 1876 and 1910. ---
**Author:** ![Gretchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@Gretchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchion)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/65 "2015-05-06T15:35:39Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Exactly right. In the US, Cinco de Mayo is mainly a “drinking holiday,” in the same league as St. Patrick’s day. So, the real question is, what cultural holiday will America turn into its next new drinking holiday? ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/66 "2015-05-06T15:52:28Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > What determines which ones get firmly established? I suspect timing is part of it. Weather-wise, early May is a pleasant time to have a holiday in most parts of the US, and there’s a gap between Easter and Memorial Day. Mexican Independence Day might have become established instead except that it’s very close to Labour Day. Of course, sensible countries don’t have anything in early September because Labor Day is May 1st. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/67 "2015-05-06T16:12:59Z")
The US doesn’t have its workers holiday on May 1st because we’re the ones who murdered the Haymarket organizers whom the day commemorates. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/68 "2015-05-06T16:17:31Z")
> [@Gretchion](#): > > So, the real question is, what cultural holiday will America turn into its next new drinking holiday? Howsabout Sexto de Mayo? I’m ready! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/69 "2015-05-06T19:04:34Z")
I celebrate Cinco de Mayo, by having Mexican food (and a margarita, when I’m not pregnant). I am not an immigrant of any kind, nor were any of my grandparents. I just like Mexican food, and come from ancestors who were from places that are not known for their food. > [@UDS](#): > > What determines which ones get firmly established? I suspect timing is part of it. Weather-wise, early May is a pleasant time to have a holiday in most parts of the US, and there’s a gap between Easter and Memorial Day. Mexican Independence Day might have become established instead except that it’s very close to Labour Day. Marketing doesn’t hurt, either. Can’t have hurt the popularity of Cinco de Mayo that beer companies and Mexican restaurants promote it (and, of course, they benefit from doing so, too). Being a holiday on the civil calendar, so that it happens every year on the same date (or close to it, the way a holiday like Thanksgiving or Mothers Day does) helps, too. A lot of people celebrate Chinese New Year in California, including some people with no Asian ancestry, but people who aren’t Chinese tend not to have much awareness of the Chinese calendar. I suspect Chinese New Year would be more popular if it were on a fixed date in the civil calendar. Some Chinese restaurants outside of California do stuff for Chinese New Year. > [@kayaker](#): > > Howsabout Sexto de Mayo? I’m ready! If you can wait till sunset, you can celebrate the Jewish holiday of [Lag B’Omer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lag_BaOmer). It’s traditionally associated with bonfires and outdoor sports, so some beer probably wouldn’t be too badly out of place. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/70 "2015-05-06T19:28:39Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Although I think the mystery isn’t “why do Americans celebrate a Mexican holiday?” it’s why did they pick Cinco de Mayo (which as I understand it is a pretty minor holiday in Mexico) instead of, say, Mexican Independence Day? **Mexican** -Americans picked _Cinco de Mayo_, although it is not a holiday throughout Mexico. They chose that day to show pride in their culture; perhaps \*Diez Y Seis de Septiembre \*was considered too political. Other Americans may take part–because of their appreciation of Mexican culture or their desire to drink a bunch of beer & tequila. In many ways its evolution _does_ resemble that of St Patrick’s Day. I didn’t celebrate this year because I wasn’t feeling like a crowd. And, in Houston, I can get tequila & Mexican food any time. Porfirio Diaz’s long reign as President may have played a role but he was not the true hero of the First Battle of Puebla. That was Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin–who died of typhoid shortly thereafter. He was born in what became Goliad, Texas & was related to \*Tejano \*patriot Juan Seguin. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/71 "2015-05-06T19:41:09Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Although I think the mystery isn’t “why do Americans celebrate a Mexican holiday?” it’s why did they pick Cinco de Mayo (which as I understand it is a pretty minor holiday in Mexico) instead of, say, Mexican Independence Day? See the reference I cite and quote in entry #3 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/72 "2015-05-06T20:15:48Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Porfirio Diaz’s long reign as President may have played a role but he was not the true hero of the First Battle of Puebla. I don’t think that Diaz’s reputation in Mexico was that great after the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/73 "2015-05-07T02:04:16Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Associated thread: “Why do people look gift horses in the mouth?” Exactly!! It’s an day to have fun and celebrate our friends to the south. What’s not to understand? For example - The company caf did Mexican food yesterday, of course, but they also did stuff like have Mexican desserts and a big tub of ice filled with bottles of Mexican Coke and Sprite. It was an excuse to do something fun and outside of the ordinary routine. As for why cinco de mayo as opposed to some other holiday? I dunno, but I got the message from somewhere that May 5 was a great day to party out Mexican-style. The only logical response to that is “Cool! Cerveza por favor?” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/74 "2015-05-07T02:26:17Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > If you can wait till sunset, you can celebrate the Jewish holiday of [Lag B’Omer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lag_BaOmer). It’s traditionally associated with bonfires and outdoor sports, so some beer probably wouldn’t be too badly out of place. I love bonfires! l’chaim! ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/75 "2015-05-08T14:22:53Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > > [@kayaker](#): > > > > Associated thread: “Why do people look gift horses in the mouth?” > > Exactly!! > > It’s an day to have fun and celebrate our friends to the south. What’s not to understand? I’m surprised that when someone asks in GQ “why do people do this?” it’s so widely interpreted as “people shouldn’t do this” If I’d meant that, I’d have asked in the Pit, or GD. I’m just trying to get my ignorance fought, here! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/76 "2015-05-08T15:09:21Z")
> [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](#): > > I’m surprised that when someone asks in GQ “why do people do this?” it’s so widely interpreted as “people shouldn’t do this” > > If I’d meant that, I’d have asked in the Pit, or GD. I’m just trying to get my ignorance fought, here! Apologies. The smart kids answered the GQ, and it was the tequila talking. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/77 "2015-05-08T15:11:32Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Howsabout Sexto de Mayo? You might be able to get Hellman’s to sponsor it. ---
**Author:** ![tadtooornamental](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/78 "2015-05-19T14:55:08Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Yesterday, I heard one person try to make a joke and call it Quatro de Cinco (aiming for Quatro de Mayo). They were very unlikely aiming for Quatro de Mayo, and instead attempting to make an[Arrested Development](http://arresteddevelopment.wikia.com/wiki/Cinco_de_Cuatro) reference. ---
**Author:** ![MacLir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@MacLir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacLir)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/79 "2015-05-21T14:00:03Z")
> [@Gretchion](#): > > So, the real question is, what cultural holiday will America turn into its next new drinking holiday? Allow me to propose National Tartan Day. It is already in existance, as the Scottish heritage holiday, but hasn’t gained much traction. It is on the 4th of April, and commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Arbroath, which was one of the sources of concepts used in the U.S. constitution. 🆒 This date is convenient, being between St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309/80 "2015-05-21T17:10:16Z")
Maybe you can complete the ladder then: January 1st. February 2nd. March 3rd. April 4th. May 5th. June 6th. July 7th Sanfermin! Could even add the rest of the months 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-celebrate-cinco-de-mayo/719309.md?page=5)