As a Southern California native, Cinco de Mayo has become a staple in my yearly holiday celebrations. Every year there are parties, special parades, food and celebrations of Mexican culture all over Mexico, U.S. and the world. But as a holiday so close to Mother’s Day, it sometimes falls to the end of the list as far as preparations go. Luckily, even the most last-minute preparations can still bring about an amazing Cinco de Mayo. With decorations that anyone can make and some recipes that are both easy and outside the standard chips, salsa and margaritas, your Cinco de Mayo celebration will be one for the history books.
Decorations
Planning a Cinco de Mayo party? Fill your home with these awesome DIY decorative pieces to bring the spirit of the holiday into every aspect of your party!
Corona Bottle Centerpieces
These bottles are insanely easy to make and give you a reason to sip a couple beers while you do it! All you need is an empty bottle and some paint and you have a perfect, brightly colored centerpiece for your party or even just for your family dinner! Plus these are adorable enough to keep in your home all year long.
Mini Pinatas
Get the kids in on this project! You can make them in any size, but in my opinion, mini anything is automatically cuter. But if you are looking for a good old fashioned party game, go with a full sized option and grab a blindfold and stick and let the fun begin! These pinatas are adorable and make a perfect decor option for table settings, party favors and you could even string them up as streamers.
Paper Cacti Decorations
These are another fantastically creative decoration you can use to brighten up your Cinco de Mayo celebration that can stick around all year. They are bright colored and whimsical and extremely easy to make!
Family Meals
These are meals you can make for your loved ones or for yourself to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! You don’t need a party to enjoy some delicious food!
Breakfast Churro
Start your day off sweet with this delicious take on a traditional Mexican street food. For any of you like me who are always running late, these are perfect to make the night before and eat on the go!
One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Cut down on the dishes and time with this incredible one pot wonder! For those of you who want to take advantage of the holiday but just don’t have the time for much prep, this is perfect and is easy customizable for the picky eaters in your life!
Mexican Street Corn
This was a staple in my diet growing up! Any taco truck and street vendor within a hundred miles could blow your mind with delicious Mexican style corn on the cob! Nothing feels like home more than queso fresco and some cilantro!
Party Favorites
Be the master of parties among your friends! Throw a last minute get-together for this Cinco de Mayo and blow their minds with the incredible food you serve. You will be remembered and appreciated like never before with these party favorites.
Individual 7 Layer Dips
Never fear the dreaded double dipper at your party with these adorable individual seven layer dips. They look beautiful and complicated but take almost no time at all to make.
The Taco Bar
Let your guests make the tacos perfect for them by setting a completely customizable taco bar. You decide how intricate you want to make it. A couple kinds of salsa, beef or chicken, beans, rice, sour cream and any other fixins you want and you’re all set!
Taco Cupcakes
For my get together, I’m definitely going to be serving these. In my test run for these treats, they turned out better than I could have ever expected! Delicious and adorable and I was able to make dozens in less than an hour of prep and cooking. They will definitely be the highlight of the night!
Drinks
Margarita’s and Mexican beer are always good go-to Cinco de Mayo drinks but why not mix it up? Go for something different to remember the day by! These are 3 beverage recipes that will spice up your celebration and make it more original.
Michelada
This traditional mexican drink is comparable to a bloody mary with some Mexican variations. You can adjust the recipe to your specifications and make them your own, but as the recipe stands, these are a delicious addition to your menu.
Mojito Jello Shots:
Though jello shots do conjure up some memories of college dorms, this recipes takes all the good things about jello and alcohol and gives them a “grown up” twist. These Mojito Jello Shots are easy to make but do need to be made the day before or at least in the morning in order to set correctly.
Tequila Refresca:
This drink is both delicious and incredibly easy to make. It will be a perfect alternative to margaritas for your celebration.
Don’t let the busyness of life keep you from celebrating this fun holiday with your family and friends. Sometimes the parties with the least amount of preparation are the ones you are going to remember in the long run. And don’t forget, Mother’s Day is right around the corner and we have prepared another set of recipes your mom is sure to love!
