Data teams at Tostitos and Sabra recently discovered that Americans will consume more than 16.6 million pounds of tortilla chips and over 25 million pounds of store-bought dips on Cinco de Mayo this year. In fact, more people consume guacamole on May 5th than any other time of year, even beating out the Super Bowl. Cinco de Mayo is known for being a pretty festive day here in the United States. But how significant is it, really?
Is Cinco de Mayo a holiday in Mexico?
The holiday is such a big deal here in U.S. that one would naturally assume it’s just as big in Mexico, where it “originated.” But that’s actually incorrect. In Mexico, May 5th isn’t even a federal holiday. For a majority of Mexicans, it’s actually just like any other day.
If that comes as a surprise, you’re not alone. Cinco de Mayo happens to be one of the most misunderstood holidays that we celebrate stateside. Contrary to what a lot of people think, May 5th is not Mexican Independence Day. That actually falls on September 16th.
May 5th celebrates the Mexican state’s victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla that occurred in 1862. So if anyone in Mexico celebrates the day in a big way, it’s likely the city of Puebla.
But just because Mexico doesn’t celebrate the day in a big way like we do, it’s still a good opportunity to celebrate Mexican American culture. In fact, a survey of over 1,000 adults found that 59% of Americans plan to celebrate the day by eating Mexican food, 32% plan on drinking margaritas, a fifth of people plan on celebrating Mexican culture as a whole, and 17 % will make it a point to celebrate by drinking Mexican beer.
So celebrate! Enjoy all the delicious food and drinks you can get your hands on. After all, there are some pretty great food deals out there if you really know how to look. But remember, always be respectful.