I know that you’re thinking that we don’t need another holiday, but I can’t let today pass without mentioning that it’s Cinco de Marcho Day. Don’t get this one confused with Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday celebrated every year on May 5. That holiday celebrates the anniversary of the defeat of the French army during the Battle of Puebla in Mexico on May 5, 1862.
Cinco de Marcho was first celebrated in the United States in 2007 — it’s sort of a kick-off to get ready for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. Even though Cinco de Marcho is today, it really isn’t a day — think of it more like a season. You know about the 12 days of Christmas…. well, today starts the 12 days of Cinco de Marcho. It’s a season that begins on the 5th of March and ends with the closing ceremonies — on St. Patrick’s Day.
Some people have said that the holiday marks the beginning of a 12-day period when “people train their livers for drinking huge amounts of alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day.” That assessment made the holiday offensive to some people, but Cinco de Marcho doesn’t officially promote excessive drinking. It’s a chance to celebrate the two cultures — of Mexico and Ireland. If you think about it, there are some commonalities… like Margaritas — they’re green (like St. Patty’s Day) and they’re Mexican.
So I think this is a great start to promoting international cooperation and peace.
Hope everyone has an enjoyable Cinco de Marcho Season!
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